Page 756 - PERSIAN 8 1912_1920_Neat

22 ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE
Amir Jang has in reality discharged the duties of Deputy Governor and
is invariably employed by the Governor-General in any matters thal bo does
not deal with himself.
Sardar Nusrat has held the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Provincial
Army throughout the year. The most
Military Deportment.
. . , respected and influential notable in the
Province and a firm friend of the British, he has always been consulted by His
Majesty’s Consul regarding local feeling and views and his advico in these
matters has been most useful. He is, tlje recognised'head of the conservative
or moderate party and has, when necessary, oxorted himself to keep this party
alive and combined and in a position to thwart the machinations of the
1 Democrats ’.
His relations with the Governor-General have been excellent. He re­
ceived a C. B. E. in March 1920.
Mujallal-us-Saltanoh has held the. appointment of Karguzar throughout
the year. He has been helpful to the
Korguxori.
Consulate in the settlement of claims and
has refrained from Political intrigue and maintained good relations wiih the
Governor-General and other Persian Officials- In March two important
Hindu claims were settled through the Kargiytari, and compensation amount­
ing to about Krans 205,000 recovered. The claims v were on account of two
consignment? of goods belonging to Hindus entrusted to Sirjan aud Qaleh
Askar jilaudars at Bandar Abbas. The jilaudars reported that the caravans
had beeu attacked by Farsi robbers en route who carried away all the loads.
It was ascertained however that only a portion of the goods had been robbed
and the remainder had been concealed by the jilaudars in their houses. The
jilaudars were arrested and compensation for practically the full amounts of the
claims recovered from thorn.
In November Mujallal-us-Saltaneh made over charge of his office to his
assistant, Mirza Habibullah Khan, and proceeded to Tehran on four months*
leave. The object of this visit to Tehran being to try and induce the Persian
[Foreign Office to grant him some increase in salary which is only Tumans 150
per mensem.
The annual budget allotment of the Qarasuran Department is Tumans
64,290 which is supposed to be expended
QarMuran Department.
(Howl v»uard<.) on the upkeep of 4.26 men for Ihe pro-
teclionof the trade routes of the Province.
It has,however for years been customary for the whole of the allotment to find
its way into the pockets of the Governor-General, the head of the Qarasuran
Department and the Deputy Governors of the various districts. I he road
guards were empowered to levy tolls ( called rahdari) from the caravans pass­
ing over the roads under their protection part of which they retained in lieu
of pay and part they remitted to the Provincial capital to form a further
perquisite of their Chief.
These profitable arrangements were rudely upset in April by a tele­
gram to the Financial Agent informing him that the Qarasuran Department
had been abolisln d from the commencement of the Persian financial year
( 21st March ) and ordering him to make no more payments on this account.
The Persian Government however failed to issue any orders to the Governor-
General informing him of the abolition of the Department and ordering him
to disband the road guards. The Governor-General was not slow tq realize
the opportunity thus afforded him of lying low for a few months and then
demanding the pay and if any difficulties were raised replying that tho Depart­
ment bad been maintained in default of orders for its abolition. In June
the Gqveriior-Gencral commenced to agitate and was informed in reply that
the payment of tho Qarasuran budget would be considered when the custom
of levying rahdari was abolished in the province but until this illegal exaction
was stopped there appeared to be no reason for paying the road guards as it
was well known that they in no case received any pay and lived upon the
rahdari.