Page 674 - PERSIAN 8 1912_1920_Neat

16 ANNUAL BErOBT OP TEE JRB6IAN GULP POLITICAL BE3IDENOT

Hr, J,.L. Wright was in charge of operations at Kishm till. 13th August
when he waa relieved .by Air. Jl. W. Hole, who remained in charge at the
close of the year.
(c) Branoh of the Imperial Batik of Persia.— dir. W. J. d’Alton wa*
manager throughout the year. For the first few months of the year business
was briok but after the evacuation by the Military the business was dull.
Mirca Ismail Khan remained as Finance Agent throughout the year. The
revenue for 1919 shows a great improve*
D«p ft ment
ment over 1918, though the revenue for
Biyaban for the past three years has not yet been paid by Mir Barkat.
There is room for considerable improvement in this department and it ia
to be hoped that under the new Anglo-Persian Agreement, steps will be taken
to appoint British oGcera to reorganise the whole of the Finance Department
There is not the slightest doubt that with trustworthy Inspectors or
Directors the Maliyat and Opium Receipts would be almost doubled.
The local municipality continues to progress and is steadily adding to its
funds, which are being deposited in the
IUUdiych. Local Uaoicip&lity.
Imperial Bank of Persia, Bandar Abbas.
No money can be withdrawn without the countersignature ofj His Majesty’s
representative.
It io hoped that when cuGcient funds have been collected to introduce
come substantial reform cuch as electric lighting for the streets and baiarst
It i3 a!co hoped that this will synchronise with any other reforms which may
be introduced in connection with the new agreement
Sixty-two slaves applied for manurmccion during the year. Out of these
fifty-one were manumitted, eight returned
Sl&Tflt.
to their masters and three cases were
avraiting settlement.
The agreement was generally well received, hut all sections are rather
impatient, to see the results materialise,
Ao-Io<Fcribn Agreement.
one of the chief being the reorganisation
of tho Customs Tariff and the establishment of reads and railways. The
publication of the terms, at once demonstrated the whole-hearted dislike by
one and all for the Belgian Customs officials. There was a general feeling of
rejoicing because it was calculated that one of the first results would be the
advent of British Customs officials into Persia.
The past year has been a bad. one for the poorer section of the local
Economic condition*. community, as ^
previous time. This was partly due to scarcity of rain, during tho year, and
also to a very great extent to the fact that the ezport from India of most
essential articles of staple diet such as rice, wheat, and flour are only permitted
to a very limited degree under special license.
A comparative list of prices is appended from which it will be seen that
the prices of the three most essential commodities have almost doubled
themselves since last year.

G. A. G. MraGAVW •
Auutant Resident and His Majesty*a Consul,
Bandar Abba**