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into No. 20S. yarn which is mostly used. In September 1930 Colonel Noel visited
Tehran to interview the Minister of Economies, who promised the full support
of the Government, and in November of the same year the former took the oppor­
tunity to bring the proposal to the notice of H. I. M. the Shah who was pleased to
commend it and even held out hopes of investing his own money in the enterprise.
As it was intended to import British machinery, estimates and catalogues
had been obtained, but Colonel Noel was suddenly transferred to India in the
month of April 1931. Shortly afterwards His Excellency M'irza licza Khan,
Afshar, the newly appointed Governor-General of this Province, who appeared to
be armed with instructions from Tehran to follow up this scheme, but without the
intervention of this Consulate, convened various meetings at the Government
House and it was finally decided to form a Company with a capital of Tumans
500,000, one-third of which was to be collected immediately.
Full details of this project will appear in the Trade Report for 1931-32, but it
may be added that at the time of writing three representatives of the Board of
Directors of the Spinning Mill Company, Kerman, had proceeded to Tehran to
decide whether the contract for the necessary machinery be placed in England
or Germany.
9. Communications and Security.—(a) Communications.—Kerman still remains
the centre for road administration in South-East Persia, which includes Lingah,
Yezd and Birjand, and Prince A’izaz-\is-Saltaneh has held charge of this adminis­
tration throughout the year.
The only new road started in the Province was the motor alignment between
Khabis and Kerman via the Sirch Pass, which the Road Authorities expect to
complete by the middle of 1Q32.
A number of land-owners in Rawar on the Kerman-Meshed caravan route
have made the Kerman-Rawar section of this road fit for motor traffic, in the
expectation of receiving support from the Persian Government.
The Rpad Authorities have paid special attention during the year to the
Roads in Persian Baluchistan.
The motor road from Bandar Abbas via Sirjan, the principal trade route,
remained in good condition throughout the year.
Owing to the removal of the railhead from Zahidan (Duzdab) to Nok Kundi,
the import trade of Kerman via Zahidan received a setback and now the former
route is being used by exporters to India to avoid the Indian Customs.
(6) Security of Trade Routes.—Robbers from Fars and Lar still continue
their activities on the Bandar Abbas-Kerman motor road but to a less extent.
On the 17th of June a number of Farsi robbers attacked, near Gudar-i-Charm
on the above road, a lorry in which Sartip Haidar Quli Khan and four other Ins­
pectors for various Government departments were travelling from Bandar Abbas
to Kerman. The Sartip was wounded in the chest and the party stripped of their
belongings.
During the year one post was robbed and two drivers of motor lorries and
one passenger were killed.
Law and order were on the whole well maintained on the other trade routes
in the Province.
(c) Posts.—Post offices were opened at Khabis and Rudbar during the year
under review.
The mails on the section Kerman-Bandar Abbas have been more regular than
in the preceding, year.
Opportunity may be taken to mention the very unsatisfactory delivery
arrangements prevailing in the Kerman Post Office as, owing to Friday and other*
holidays intervening, the mails are often delivered after a delay of 24 to 48 hours
after their actual arrival,
(d) Wireless.—The wireless station, though supposed to be in working order,
is not functioning onf account of the expense it involves : each operation is said
po cost Tumans 6 and there is practically no work,