Page 286 - PERSIAN 8 1931_1940_Neat

44
Telegraphic representations by certain Bahais at Sirjan wore made to
Tehran in May, complaining against the anti-Bahai utterances of one Sultun-ul-
AWizin, a preacher from Kcrmanshah. The Ministry of Interior, while making
it clear in their reply that the State did not recognise any Bahai community in
the country, referred the matter to the Governor-General, who proceeded to
Sirjan with the Chief of Police, and, after going into the case, sent I lie preacher
to Kerman, having taken a written guarantee from him not to preach aguin
until ilual orders almul him were received from Tehran.
According to orders received from Tehran at the latter part of November
the meeting place of the Bahais in Kerman, called Mushriq-ul-Azkur, was closed
l»y the Police authorities and the leader of the community made to sign aii under­
taking not to attend any meetings without informing the Police. This action on
.behalf of the Government is said to have been due. to the Bahais in Tehran and
Yczd insisting on the observance of Bahai holidays in their schools, contrary to
the regulations laid'down by the Ministry of Education, which resulted in the
closing down of the schools concerned.
The Governor-General celebrated the anniversary of the Shah’s Birthday
on the 24th March by holding a reception at the Government House in the after­
noon, invitations to which were, as in the previous year, issued by the Kerman
Municipality.
The reception ended at about 8 p.m. after the usual fire-works, and was
followed by a 4 joy caravan ’ procession, conducted for the first time in Kerman
under the auspices of the local Military authorities. Illuminations were also
held at the Military and Amnicli headquarters as well as in the main bazaars,
where, in many cases, the shop-keepers were forced by the Police to increase the
number of their lamps. A private theatrical show, called 4 Sarbaz-i-Vatan ’ (A
Soldier of the Fatherland) was given on the same night by the Military autho­
rities, to which only a selected few were invited.
The Millenary Birthday anniversary of the Poet Firdausi was celebrated
in Kerman throughout the week ending with the 32lh October. There were
illuminations in the town and receptions given by the merchants, the Parsi com­
munity, the Military Hepurtincnt and the Municipality, the latter including a
display of tire-works. The Military gave a theatrical performance, depicting
the Poet’s life. Jiis Majesty’s Consul received invitations to, aud was present
at, all the functions.
Apropos of the Shah’s return from Turkey, a Garden party was given by
the Governor-General, on behalf of the Municipality, on the tith of July, followed
by illuminations in the bazaars on the 7th and 8th.
The four local weekly newspapers are now being published more regularly
than before, ns they have made contract with the Registration Olfice to print
p notices in connection with the rcgistra-
of property in the province. A new
monthly periodical, called the ‘ Aftab-i-Snarq ’ (Sun of the East), was started
early in the year by Majd-i-Nawabi, a preacher from Bam. With the excep­
tion of one or two reminiscences in connection with the late South Persia Rides,
no anti-British articles appeared in the press during the year.
ITashimi, the editor of the local weekly paper 4 Bidari ’ which was at one
time inclined to bo anti-British, has lately adopted a decidedly friendly attitude.
He is at present President of the Kerman Municipal Council and, being a noted
Arabic Scholar, lias been engaged as a part-time teacher in the C. M. S. Boys’
School, where one of his hrothers is u permanent teacher.
31. Health and General Welfare.—Dr. Suhrab Barkhurdarian remained in
charge of the Health Services in the province throughout the year.
Some type of4 Flue •’ in an epidemic form, raged in Kerman in the early part
of the year, causing a number of deaths.
There was another small epidemic of Typhus in the summer, mainly eon-
fined to the Jewish quarter and one other part of the town, in many houses 4 or
5 persons being ill at the same time. Measles and Whooping cough scourged
the town in the spring and summer, and Typhoid is always endemic in Kerman.
The town is still full of tuberculosis of every variety. The Tuborculur
Ward in each of the two Mission Hospitals is always full, mainly of hone cases.
Those patients receive daily sun-treatment all the year round, which, combined