Page 497 - PERSIAN 8 1931_1940_Neat

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been upset by the Village Co-operative Societies under Government control,
which have not proved to the advantage of the villager or tribesmen.
19. Discontent came to ahead in August. A report was received of a
severe defeat of the troops in Kuhgilu by Boir Alnncdi tribes. 1,500 men
were at once sent out in lorries and cars requisitioned from the public. It
was rumoured that thero had been an attack on Behbehan and that the south-
ern oillields were in danger. At the same time the Bahmai tribe engaged
troops from Ahwaz and the dissident tribes joined forces. Finally, after
3,000 troops had been despatched from Shiraz to co-operate with the Ahwaz
force, tho area was surrounded and the military authorities claim to have
captured many rifles at the expense of several hundred casualties on both
sides. It is evident that there has been much gun-running recently, and the
tribes appear to be well supplied with ammunition. The troops are still in
Mamassani and Kuhgilu territory, where it is intended to isolate the tribes
for the winter.
20. Trouble spread from Kuhgilu to the Khamseh tribes near Lar, who
attacked Road Guard posts during the summer, wlvch sought to interfere
with their smuggling activities. It was necessary to send a detachment of
troops to deal with this, but there was no general rising. Detachments have
also been engaged from time to time in the coastal districts of Laristan and
Dashtistan.
21. There was talk in Shiraz of a revolution planned to follow a success­
ful rising of all the Qashgai tribes. Endeavours are now being made to
fasten responsibility for this on to the late General Officer Commanding
the troops. The general discontent with the Government’s settlement policy
is a more likely cause, aided by the system of bribery recently in force under
which migration, smuggling and gun-running were permitted by the military
and civil authorities.
22. Local administration.—There has been no change in the five repre­
sentatives of Fars in the Mcjliss. All of them have visited the Province
during the year. They arc all local business men or landowners. Deputies
were also elected for Lar, Firuzabad, Jaluum, Fasa and Abadeh.
23. Other official visitors during the year have been Aqai Bayat, Direc­
tor General of the Department of Agriculture ; Sertip Feruz, General Officer
in Command of Road Guards ; Aqai Sarai’i, Acting Director General of Public
Security ; Aqai Farrukh, Minister of Industries and Mines ; Sertip Na-qdi,
Tribal Settlement Department of the Ministry of War ; the Inspector General
of Registration Offices; and the Head of the Wheat Stabilisation Depart­
ment.
24. Aqai Abul Fath Doulatshahi remained Governor General of Fars
until August, when he was summoned to Tehran. His arrest has already
been described. He was not popular in the Province and his peculations
in collusion with the Military and with the Municipal authorities met their
inevitable reward. His preparations for the Shah’s visit and his ceaseless
attempts to organise Companies and to juggle with the cash subscribed for
various purposes are believed to have brought him in a large profit. It is
known that considerable private debts were paid off out of the proceeds.
25. His Excellency’s dealings with the Consulate were friendly. He
was most cordial on the occasion of the Shah’s Birthday dinner party, though
he ignored most of his subordinates, and he organised a luncheon party In
honour of the Head of the Eastern Department of the Foreign Office. As­
sistance was given in various personal matters connected with the Police and
a polite interest was taken in the Consulate water supply, instructions being
given to the Municipality to cease interfering with it after it has already
been successfully tapped. Other routine matters were dealt with reason­
ably promptly. His Excellency was present at a King’s Birthday dinner
party at the Consulate and tho Acting Governor General attended a service
in the Mission Church and a Garden Party at the Consulate, in the absence
of the Governor General, in celebration of the Coronation. • He was not
punctilious in the matter of returning visits.