Page 271 - Gulf Precis (VII)_Neat

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CHAPTER VIII.
Claims of British subjects and protdgds against the Persian Govern­
ment and officials and Persian subjects.
435. We shall give in this section a few typical cases of claims of British
subjects and protdges against the Persian Government and officials and Persian
subjects.

(Ixxi) Forcible appropriation of a house belonging to Hajec Nubbee Khan.
436. Hajee Nubbee Khan was a Residency News Agent on the Arab coast
of the Persian Gulf. On the 23rd March
Political A., June 1875, Nov 178-190.
1870 one Agha Muhammad Hassan Bazar-
murghee, son-in-law and partner of Hajee Muhammad Baker, bought from
Hajee Nubbee Khan indigo to the value of 3,466 tomans, promising to pay for
the same in 23 months. Before the expiration of this period Agha Muhammad
Hassan became bankrupt. As there was then no Governor at Bushire, the
creditors laid their claims before Mirza Muhammad Khan, the Foreign Agent,
who thereupon imprisoned the bankrupt.
437. The Resident on hearing of this proceeding wrote to the Foreign
Agent to say that if this had been done in the interests of the creditors generally,
he had no wish to interfere, but if in those of British subjects in particular, he
had no desire that a Persian merchant should be put under restraint. The
Foreign Agent replied that he had treated the bankrupt with every consideration;
and that security had been accepted for the settlement of his debts. On the
receipt of a communication from Hajee Nubbee Khan that the assets were not
being distributed fairly, and that preference was being shown to certain wealthy
merchants, the Resident again wrote to the Foreign Agent mentioning these facts
and stating his belief that justice would be done and a reference to Tehran on
his part be thus rendered unnecessary.
438. The Foreign Agent replied to the effect that though the bankrupt
had several times expressed a wish to settle with Hajec Nubbee Khan, he had
apparently changed his mind.
439. In the meantime Hajee Muhammad Baker had a conversation with the
Resident (memorandum of which is given by Mr. Edwards) in which he appeared
anxious that the Resident should induce Hajee Nubbee Khan to take in mortgage
for two years certain landed pioperty, vis., two houses and a “ Timcha” belong­
ing to him (Muhammad Baker) on account of the claims : the mortgagees
would, he added, have a lien on the property during this period, and if the debts
were not liquidated at the end of it, would be entitled to appropriate it according
to Muhammadan law.
440. The Resident informed the Foreign Agent of this visit, and added that
he hoped the matter would be amicably settled, but did not wish any oppres­
sion to be exercised towards the bankrupt on account of the claims of British
subjects.
441. No further communications passed on this point, and the reason for the
interference of the Resident appears to have been the representation of Haj'ee
Nubbee Khan that he received consignments from many British and British Indian
subjects whose interests would be prejudiced if fraudulent distributions of assets
could be made by Persian traders amongst whom these goods were circulated.
442. On 8th June 1871 the Foreign Agent reported that Hajee Nubbee
Khan had applied to the Prince Governor of Fars, who had issued orders for the
recovery of the claim.
443. On 14th July 1871 Hajee Nubbee Khan presented at the Residency
a bond bearing the seal of the Foreign Agency and purporting to be the sale to
him of certain landed property belonging to Hajee Muhammad Baker with a right
of repurchase within two years. This document was registered in the Residency.