Page 707 - PERSIAN 8 1912_1920_Neat

51*
POR THE TEAR 181*
&ni ourselves he acts as intermediary. The district is peaceful and prosperous
and it is a matter for satisfaction that it has beon unnecessary during the
year under report to invoke the assistance of the Military. Isolated cases of
highway robbory have occurred, but in no instance has the offender escaped
eventful retribution. The British Government has been paving in subsidies
to tribal chiefs a monthly sum equivalent to approximately £620, but it is
anticipated that owing to certain improvements in Revenue collection and
disposal, together with the stoppage of some of the more important sources
of leakage, the greater part of this burden will shortly be shouldered by the
Persian Government. I shall rofer further to this subject under the head of
«Revenue. * Applications, positively embarassing in number, have been
received from the heads of the Qalaqand, Baharwand, and Bairanwand tribes
to settle in Arabistan. Always provided that these tribes are prepared to
forego their nomadic habits, there would be ample room for them along the
banks of the Kherkeh, but that is a provision we cannot expect to see fulfilled
except by an infinitely gradual process of absorption. They say that there
were in far off days, so many towns on the bank of the Kherkeh that a cook
could fly from Shush to Ahwaz from roof to roof without setting foot on the
ground—hut they 6ay so many things.
I should like to record here the very great value in dealing with Luristan
of the policy of the closed door or what may he termed a double blockade
If the gates of Dizful and Khurramabad are definitely shut to the Lur tribes,
they must inevitably submit. They are dependent for so many of the minor
luxuries that'have, by process of time and a bastard civilisation, come to be
reckoned us necessities, on towns. The only towns to whidh the Laar tribe*
to which I am referring, havfc:r> access arc Dizful and K'hurmmabad. The
closing of the gates of Dizful has an instantaneous effect in the winter and
spring, an effect that would be rendered doubly marked if the Khurramabad
gates were simultaneously closed. The pacification of these tribes nod their
early submission could, I feel confident, be brought about with a minimum
of expense and in the space of a few months by the establishment of a firm
government at Khurramabad. Merchants of that town whom I have had the
opportunity of meeting, are most insistent in their requests for the appointment
of a Political Officer at Khurramabad. Indeed, it would he no bad poSey
for the Assistant Political Officer Dizful to make Khurram&bad his summer
station. Dizful area is shortly after Nau Roz entirely freed from the presence
of migratory tribes and could, if necessary,, be supervised from Ahwaz, a compe­
tent Head Mirza being of course retained there permanently. This is pre-sup-
posing the additional presence at 8hush of British Oificerrin-Gliarge of the Lcvie*.
Saifullali Khan, one of onr subsidised chiefs, was indiscreet enough to fire
a revolver at his cousia Ghubun Reza Khan another subsidised chief, and was
also indiscreet enough to miss him. This at a tea party. His somewhat naive
excuse that he really aimed at some one else proved unavailing, and he was
sentenced to two years imprisonment.
Police.—I cannot sufficiently commend flic present chief of the Dizfwl
Police, Mirza Hasson, A man of humble beginning?, he has by sterling
wortlrbrought himself *to the fore. The Police arc efficient to a remarkable
degree*.and.it is^a pleasure to record that there has been but one case of
theft during the year under report, and the thieves were at once arrested and
the property recovered. The murderer of Hajo Ghafur was apprehended by
Mirza Hassan himself at considerable personal risk. The * Jarchi Milliat"
however, accuses Mirza Hassan of the actual crime. The Shushtar Police
are efficient but cannot compare with the Dixful force, axi were it not for the
energy and perseverance displayed by Mirza AU, the Head iGrxa there, their
discipline would become lax in a very short time. The Shushtar bead, of
Police lacks tho vigour and initiative of Mirza Hans&n.
Revenue.—Arabistan has .suffered severely in the past from corrupt
revenue officials, the corruption starting from the top and working downward*
throughout the entile staff. Shortly after assuming charge of Disfut, it become
very apparent to mo that revenue collections, made entirely by virtue ot
presence in the place of ft Political Officer, wore not reaching their