Page 536 - PERSIAN 8 1912_1920_Neat

18 ANNUAL REPORT OP THE PERSIAN GULP POLITICAL RESIDENCY
been commuted at low arbitrary rates fixed separately for each estate or crom,
of holdings by special firruan. Of late the Persian Government have'been
incisting on universal commutation at current market rates, an innovation
which would cause much hardship and which His Majesty’s Consul and
Kurdistani, successfully for the time being, opposed. Another important
matter was the farming of the opium revenue by the Persian Government to
a Russian protogd called Tomauiantz. This involved not only the very aerioui
loss to the Kerman Revenue Department of the opium taxes, but the possibi],
ity of extensive Russian interference in the affairs of the province.
Majesty’s Consul made representations to His Majesty’s Minister on the subject
witn tho result that tne Persian Government excluded the provinces of South
Persia from the contract with Tomaniantz.
Subsequently the Tomaniantz contract was annulled for the whole of
Persia and a new system inaugurated whereby the collection and handling of
opium revenue in all Provinces were taken out of the hands of the local
Financial Departments and entrusted to a Central Opium Department. The
Tehran Government hope thereby to secure for themselves a larger propor­
tion of the provincial opium re>enuea than reached them under the old system.
In Kerman province, for example, this source of revenue is worth from 300,000
to 400,000 Tomaue, bul only some 7,000 or 8,000 Tomans ot this reached Tehran
during the last financial year.
The co-operation of His Ifajesty’s Consul with Kurdistani in Revenue
affaire, instead of eliciting the gratitude of the Persian Government, appears to
have provided the anti-British elements at Tehran with an additional grievance.
On litb July the Ministry of Finance issued an order, addressed to the Sistan
Finance CSce but obviously, aimed at Kerman, warning provincial Financial
Agents against all direct official communication with representatives of foreign
powers. Shaikh-ul-Mulk kept these orders dark till 18th October, just after
the departure of Major Lorimer, when he sent a copy of them to His MajestyT
Vice-Consul. When, again, Mirza Habibullah Khan arrived from Tehran,
in November, to take the place of Shaikh-ul-Mtilk as Financial Agent, he left
no time in hinting to His Majesty's Vice-Consul that he had instructions from
Tehran to have as little to do with His Majesty’s Consulate as possible. To this
His Majesty’s Vice-Consul has no objection, as he is convinced that without a
definitely recognized share in the financial administration of the province,
His Majesty’s Consulate can do little or no good by interfering in the working
of what is at present a hopelessly anomalous and unpractical system.
Kamal-us-Sullan held the office of Karguzar throughout the year. Though
Ka w week, feather-headed ard inconsequent
to a degree, he has on the whole done h;s
best to retain tho goodwill of His Majesty’s Consulate. The permanent
element in the Karguzari is the Assistant, Mirza Habibullah Khan, a quiet,
elderly man of some ability and considerable local knowledge and experience,
who undoubtedly exercises a steadying influence on KamaJ-us-Sultam
Majesty’s Consul had little faolt to find throughout the year with the conduct
by tbe Karguzar of the numerous cases referred to him. On two or three occasion*
indeed when the dismissal of the Kargnzar was mooted, His Majesty’s CodsoI
strongly opposed it, expressing satisfaction with Kamal-us-Sultan and.depr®*
cation of . a change, lest worse might befal.
In the autumn, like most of the'other Kerman officials, the K argued
showed signs-.of bending before the Democratic blast, and his attitude became
less satisfactory. While socially and in private correspondence more friendly
than ever, officially be began to givo His Majesty’s Yice-Consul trouble i#
various matters; while be sent to the Persian Government several telegra®*
unfavourable to the South Persia Rifiea and in other ways tried to acqu^
merit with the Democrats. This attitude was, however, largely the result
pressure from. Tehran, especially in the question of the status of the Sou
Persia Rifles (vide below).
* In October and again in December the Karguzar was severely taken
task by the Minister for Foreign Affairs for not reporting British “ actlTi? ,
and aggressions,” for giving information to His Majesty’s Consulate regard**
Democrat affairs and for not being sufficiently “ impartial,” At the same ^