Page 25 - PERSIAN 8 1912_1920
P. 25
FOR THE YEAR 10UL 15
^temptation, bought fib to use his influence -with the malcontents to
\evcnt fiuch a proposal from materialising.
The Belgian Customs Department showed at one time a disposition to take
the side of the Kalantar in opposition to the Governor of the Gulf PortB. This
attitude on their part could only have been duo to their own . hostility to the
governor, seeing that they had only just before complained loudly of the
jCalantar’s proceedings. Their support of the Kalantar did not, however, take
active shape and no opposition was raised when the Governor appointed Abdur
jlcza as Kalantar in Abdur Rasul's place.
The duties of Rais-i-Nazmich or Chief of Police were nominally performed
Amin-i-Maiiych and iuu-i-Numioh. throughout the year by the Kalantar.
The post of Rais, or Amin-i-Maliyeh or (Finance Agent) which had been
in practical abeyance since the previous year was abolished in October, when
the duties of Agent to the Treasurer-General were formally assumed by the
Belgian Provincial Director of Customs. This development is dealt with else
where in this report: the salary of the Amin-i-Maliyeh appears to have been
distributed amongst the Customs staff, but no definitely responsible Persian
revenue official was nominated ad hoc even in a subordinate capacity under the
Belgiau Customs Director.
Monsieur A. Constant held the post of Provincial Director of Customs
throughout the year, except for a period
Customs.
of four months from August to Novem
ber, during which he was on leave in Europe, his place being temporarily taken
by Monsieur Zwinne, an official whose vagaries while at Bandar Abbas are
dealt with in Captain Biscoe’s report. Monsieur Constant, who is a man of
some ability, maintained friendly and conciliatory relations with the Residency
throughout the period under report, and on his departure on leave His
Majesty’s Minister, at the Resident’s suggestion, expressed to the Administrator-
General his appreciation of Monsieur Constant’6 friendly attitude. In so far
as purely Customs matters were concerned, the doings of the Belgian Adminis
tration at Bush ire call for no special notice. The year was marked by no
outrages such as have occurred in previous years, and no difficulties worth
recording arose regarding Customs matters between the Administration and
tho Residency. Smuggling, however, continues with little abatement.
It is as agents to the Treasurer-General (M. Mornard) that the activities
of the Belgian Administration have been
Treasury.
a matter of some concern during the year.
The general aspect*of this question and its effect upon our interests in
southern Persia has already been dealt with in the Review to this Report, and
it is only necessary hero to refer to the effect of this development on Pars and
Bosh ire*
In May 1912 M. Mornard invited M. Constant to proceed to Shiraz as
Finance Agent there, hut the proposal
Fart.
was declined by that gentleman as not
being within his contract, the appointment being also regarded as a somewhat
precarious one. Later on M. Stas, who had been brought hack from retire
ment to act in a financial capacity at Kerman was transferred to Shiraz, It.
leCoffre, a British subject, replacing him at Kerman.
The Governor-General made no secret of his distrust and dislike of Belgians
generally for Treasury employ. In view of these and other consideration^ and
of the critical situation at the end of this year, His Majesty's Consul at Shiraz
(Major O’Connor) strongly advocated the appointment, if posable, of a suit
able Englishman as Treasury Agent, whose guidance and advice would, he
anticipated, be much more readily accepted by the Governor-General and who
^ould, of course, work in close co-operation with the Consulate. It was re
presented that neither the Persian Government nor M. Mornard could reason
ably object to being asked to make such an appointment, seeing that the
administration of Fare was being, as will be shown elsewhere, practically
financed by His Majesty’s Government. It was held, however, that a demand
for the employment of an Englishman was not politically feasible, and that we
