Page 195 - PERSIAN 8 1931_1940_Neat

29
CHAPTER V.
Administration report of His Majesty's Consulate, Kerman FOR THE YEAR
1933.
A.—British Interests.
1. His Majesty's Consults—Personnel.—Cnptnm C. H. Lincoln, O.B.E.,
uho returned lrom Bandar Ablins on the 19th March, remained in charge of
H. M.’s Consulate throughout tlie year. He proceeded to Tehran on the Gth
October and returned on the 4th November.
Khan Bahadur Abdul Alim, UK., Indian Attache to His Majesty’s Consul,
proceeded to India on the 23rd April, his post having been abolished at Kerman.
2. Consulate work, (a) 29 British Subjects were registered at the Consu­
late during the year, the number for 1932 being 34.
(b) The espionage on the Consulate by the secret Police relaxed in the early
months and there were no signs of the Consulate being watched at the end of
the year.
The anniversary of H. I. M. the Shah’s Birthday was celebrated by the
Governor-General on the 15th March, by a reception held in the morning, but
invitations were sent out by the Municipality Department, and separate times
bxed for the different sections. The Indian Attache was invited in it he absence
of His Majesty's Consul.
On the Nauruz Day (21st March) general invitations were issued to His
Majesty’s Consul and other foreigners in the station. •
The King’s Birthday was celebrated in the usual manner on the 3rd June,
when the reception, which was held in the morning, was attended by the Governor-
General, his assistant, the chiefs of the Police and Municipality, 'the European
community and Heads of foreign firms.
A dinner was given in the evening, to which the four Persian officials men­
tioned above and all members of the European colony were invited.
The Governor-General, when consulted by H. M.’s Consul about the selec­
tion of guests, discouraged the idea of sending the invitations to any other local
officials. While drilling the King’s health at dinner, however, His Excellency
delivered an unusually friendly speech, which was reciprocated by H. M.’s Con­
sul in a suitable reply.
3. Imperial Bank of Persia and Trade in general.—Messrs. V. H. Glendcning
and J. F, Luttrell remained as Manager and Accountant respectively throughout
the year.
Business continued to be dull during the year. There was a slight improve­
ment in the carpet industry in the early summer, as the result of an increased
demand, chiefly from New York, for Kerman rugs and carpets. This improve­
ment, however, fell away in the autumn and the industry resumed its former
depressed condition. No permanent revival in the carpet business can of course
be looked for until the world-trade itself revives.
Activity in other commodities, such as piece-goods, sugar, etc., was negli­
gible.
Money was, as usual, farfrofm plentiful throughout the year.
4. Church Missionary Society.—(o) General.—The Rev. H. E. J. Bigg6.
continued to discharge the duties of Chaplain throughout the year.
Three Persian converts—two assistnns in the C. M.. S. Hospital and a Per­
sian envangolist in the employment of the Church Missionary Society who had i
taken leading parts in a Persian Service in the C. M. S. Church on the 10th
December, were summoned on the following day to the Ta’minat branch of the
local Police Department, and, after some cross-examination by a Police detective,
who had been present at the Service, made to sign undertakings not to preach
Christianity or speak against Islam any more, failing which they were told that
thov would be kept under detention and, in the case of the evangelist, that he
would be charged with espionage ! As a matter of fact the latter refused to
undertake anything further than that he would not preach against Islam, but he
was told bv tiie Pdlice authorities thaUhis would be sufficient for their purpose,
as preaching in nny other religion was tantamount to speaking against Islam.