Page 150 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

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ADMINISTRATION REPORT OP THE PERSIAN GULF

CHAPTER V.—POLITICAL REPORT OF ^
THE BUNDER ABBAS
CONSULATE FOR 1906-1907.

General—The year under review has been characterized by intense unrest and
discontent among the inhabitants of the town and the Hinterland generally
I ne lassitude and culpable neglect evinced by the local authorities in the discharge
of the simplest duties incumbent upon them in the discharge of their office did
much towards promoting this unrest, while the oppression employed by’ the
Deputy Governor, Haji Mahomed Khan, during his term of office and more
especially when touring in the Shamilafc district, has recently been the cause of
numerous lawless acts and robberies by way of retaliation on the part of those
who were oppressed. In fact, both in the town itself and in the Shamilat, those
charged with the administration have invariably preferred to resort to plunder and
oppression rather than maintain their true role as officials of the Government, and
in these circumstances, it is not surprising that those with a natural inclination for
lawlessness should have taken the clue from their rulers and indulged their taste br
engaging in every kind of lawless enterprise. The general umest was undoubtedly
accentuated during the latter half of the year by reason of the illness and death of
the Shah and the wild rumours prevalent regarding the reform of the Constitution,
but it cannot be averred that, given the absence of these events, the district
would have remained even normally quiet. The prevailing disquiet exercised a
very damaging effect on the trade of the port and was taken full advantage of bv
many unscrupulous traders in seeking to avoid their obligations.
Change in Local Authorities.—Haji Mahomed Khan continued to fiU the post
of Deputy Governor up to the 16th January 1907, when he was replaced by the
Ikhtidar-i-Nizam. a Persian Artillery-man, who never settled down to his work and
was dismissed after holding office for barely six weeks. He, in turn, was succeeded,
as a temporary measure, by Baba Khan, the local Yahvar of ArtiReiy. who re­
mained until the end of the Persian year when he handed over the duties to Mirra
Abbas Khan Amin-al-Vlzareh, the local representative of the Persian Foreign Office.
Mirza Abdulla. Midhat-al-Vizarcz, held charge of the local Karguzari at the
commencement of the year, and on his death on the 25th April 1906, his son. Mirza
Abbas Khan, was appointed Karguzar.
At Lingah, the Deputy Governor, Safar Ali Khan, was replaced towards
the end of the year by the Masood-al-Mamalik.
Mir Ahmed Shah Khan has been Kalantar of the Shamilat throughout the
year and has earned unenviable notoriety by reason of his numerous deeds of
oppression.
Minab has continued under the Deputy Governorship of Kerbelai Mahomed
Hassan, from whom the Consulate has received considerable assistance in the
settlement of cases between British-Indian and Persian subjects residing within
his jurisdiction.
Jurisdiction on Kishm Island has been exercised by Shaikh Hassan, a man
of Arab sympathies who has from the first evinced a disinclination to serve his
Persian taskmaster, the Moin-ut-Tujar.
The Moin-ut-TujaPs authority on Hormuz Island has been upheld by the
Kalantar, Mirra. Khalil, whose principal work would seem to be the superintendence
of the Red Oxide quarry and the conveyance of the Oxide to the steamers
which periodicaOy call here.
Attitude of Persian Officials and disadvantages experience, by BrUish-lndian
Traders.—When asked to sanction any trifling innovation which
Blight departure from the ante diluvian customs m vogue, the local a“**'°e3
*£lr SS£* A*.