Page 706 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

POLITICAL RESIDENCY FOB 1911.
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before his unwilling eyes all through the hot weather and autumn; but he
refused to declare his mind and contincd himself to making solemn promises,
vrbicb suggested that he was working up for a brilliant theatrical coup at
the eleventh hour. This ouggestion was unhappily belied.
Some time after the return of the pearlers, and on very urgent represent­
ations from the Agency, he at last made an appointment—it is said a very
rood appointment—but that was not put to the proof as the gentleman never
made an appearance and has now resigned. The commission has been since
passed on to his brother, but he too has so far remained an abstraction.
The result is that all the Agency pearling cases in which compromise
could not be arrived at, have had perforce to be referred to the Shara’ Court.
The question of accounts is at present being fought out in two cases.
Id one, the plaintiff is a Dosiri Nakhuda. He made no objection at. first to
bringing his books, but this lapse was no doubt brought home to him by his
Dosiri brethren, and when the time came he defied the Kazi’s order to bring
them. His claim has been ruled out with Shaikh Isa’s concurrence.
In the second case the diver is the plaintiff, and the Shaikh again has
oertified him as debt-free, which is probably more than his rights.
This, however, scarcely punishes with sufficient distinctness the offence of
contempt of the orders of the Shara* Court as well as of tho Agency. The
cases have been long in a state of suspense, and the Nakhudas have been
watching for their outcome with close interest.
The Nakhuda’s idea is to stroll into the Agency and say that he has a
claim of so many rupees against so and so and that he is ready to swear to it.
The details are in his books, he does not remember them. Our attitude is
that no claim can be allowed the details of which have not, as far as is practi­
cable, been made known.
During the season an interesting dispute arose between Mr. Marx, British
pearl merchant, and a local dealer, regarding the validity of various types of
seels put on parcels of pearls under negotiation. Shaikh Isa was induced
to appoint a special court of experts who de2nsd the local custom in this
matter. The statement was oonnrmed by Shaikh Isa. We have thus suc­
ceeded in getting a small fragment of the customary law codified, and this
is useful. ''The decision went against Mr. Marx, but was fairly justified on
grounds of common sense.
Temperature.—The hot weather was comparatively cool which was in
part accounted for by an unusual amount
of north wind. The dampness of the
atmosphere was, however, at least as excessive as usual, the difference between
the wet and dry bulbs in summer being frequently less than 6° at 8 am.
The maximum temperature was 107-4° on 16th July 1911.
The minimum^ temperature was' 42-2° on 2Sth January 1911.
The maximum and minimum temperatures in 1910 were 102-3° and
40*5° respectively.
Rainfall.—Rain fell on 28 days and aggregated 6-21f, of which 5-24#
fell in six days in spring and winter. There was no rain between 19th April
*od 3rd November.
An unusual feature was the heavy rain received in the first half of
November amounting to 2*74#.
The total rainfall in 1910 w#* 4-02V
The year was a particularly unhealthy one owing in the first place to the
presence of epidemics. Plague began
"***■ on 29th April 1911 and continued till
16th July 1911, and caused some 1,895 deaths. Cholera broke out in Novem-
k* and disappeared in December after accounting for some 268 lives.
The year was further marked by an exceptional outhreak of malaria in
fcarly spring, repeated in autumn.
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