Shatt-al-Arab Passport Control.

A special arrangement has been introduced under which persons permanently resident within a specified area, comprising the 'Iraq and Persian banks of the Shatt-al-Arab, can obtain a single visa covering all journeys between 'Iraq and Persian territory for a period of one year. This arrangement has worked satisfactorily.

Revenue.

The total revenue estimated to have accrued to the Government through the Passport Department is Rs. 93,624, exclusive of the amounts collected and credited to 'Iraq Revenues by the British Consuls at Kermanshah, Bushire and Mohammerah.

General.

The total number of passports and visas issued shows a falling off of approximately 12 and 20 per cent. respectively. This is entirely due to there having been little or no pilgrimage to the Hejaz during the year, to the fact that the Turks practically closed the northern frontier and to the troubles in Syria, owing to which, traffic across the desert and via the Aleppo road was reduced considerably.

The passport-checking staff in Basra detected 357 cases of stowaways and 56 cases of fraudulent use of passports. This is a clear indication of the necessity for strict passport control there. Such cases practically never occur at the land frontier checking, which is probably due to the comparative ease with which the posts can be avoided. Nevertheless, many cases of evasion of the Passport and Residence Laws were detected, 45 persons being prosecuted (42 were sentenced to imprisonment and 3 to fine) in Baghdad; 13 persons (6 were sentenced to imprisonment and 7 to fine) in Mosul and two persons in Khanaqin were sentenced to imprisonment.

CRIME.

On the whole crime was well dealt with both in regard to prevention and detection. The total number of cases of all kinds reported to the police numbered 24,010. Of these 13,544 ended in conviction, while at the close of the year 1,708 remained under investigation. In the year 1924, the total number of cases numbered 18,201 with 10,680 convictions. This increase is to be attributed mainly to the failure of the harvest and, in general, to the unsatisfactory economic conditions prevailing during the year. It must, however, also be remembered that the increased public confidence in the police had led to better reporting of crime and consequently to the registration of more cases, while the police themselves prosecuted very many more

petty cases than in the preceding year. Moreover, unstable conditions on the northern frontier and in Sulaimaniya were undoubtedly responsible for much of the crime in the northern Liwas.

During the year, the adherents of Shaikh Mahmud made many raids into the Kirkuk Liwa-on one occasion even penetrating the Diyala Liwa-and excellent work was done by the police. in combating these rebel incursions. Large bodies of raiders were often engaged by the police and it is satisfactory to note that at the conclusion of the year there was a marked improvement in the general situation.

The decision of the League of Nations in regard to the northern frontier and the gradual re-establishment of Government control in Sulaimaniya will also undoubtedly have a stabilising effect on these frontier Liwas and it is confidently expected that during 1926 there will be a large decrease of crime.

The police on several occasions successfully co-operated with aircraft and ground troops. In the Kirkuk Liwa several combined operations were undertaken, while in the Nasiriya Liwa the recalcitrant and powerful Shaikh Salim al Khaiyun who had flouted Government authority was brought to heel by aircraft, supported by police and 'Iraq Army troops, and Government control is now firmly established.

In the Diwaniya Liwa the situation has been one of continued improvement and a year of record revenue has resulted.

The influx of tribesmen from Persian territory, in consequence of the conflict between the Persian Government and the Shaikh of Mohammerah, caused the Basra Liwa authorities some anxiety and was responsible for an increase of crime, but preventive measures were adopted, and, with the advent of the date packing season, employment was found for these people and they later recrossed the border.

DULAIM DESERT FORCE.

The Desert Force has done excellent work during the year. At the beginning of the year the strength was 69 horsemen and 50 camelmen, but the latter were increased to 90 during the year. The force was responsible for tracing and arresting the two men who held up the Eastern Transport convoy and murdered Mme. Maillard, the wife of the French Vice-Consul at Baghdad.

The work of the force has chiefly been the protection of the desert and Aleppo routes to Syria. This duty has been carried out very satisfactorily. The force has also had a very strenuous time in the forward area preventing inter-tribal raiding, and has only recently been able to return to its former duties of

road protection. Posts were established at Rutba and Muhaiwar in May and October respectively, since when they have been of great service to the desert convoys.

The above-mentioned case of brigandage was the only one occurring on the desert routes to Syria. This is remarkable considering the growth of traffic. Exclusive of cars of the Nairn Transport Company, 6,539 cars carrying 9,810 passengers have traversed these routes.

CONCLUSION.

Good progress has been made in all branches of police administration. The majority of 'Iraqi officers and Inspectors are shaping well, but naturally still require experience. The British and Indian element has been further decreased and 'Iraqi control extended.

The Director-General of Police, Haji Salim Beg, can look back with satisfaction upon another year of his administration. He and his Commandants have maintained most cordial relations with the Inspectorate staff which is a happy augury for the future and ensures the continued progress of the force.

4. The Jails Department.

For administrative purposes the jails are grouped into three divisions (1) Baghdad Division, consisting of the Central Jail, Baghdad, the District Jails of Ba'quba, Hilla and Kut, the Remand Lock-up, Baghdad, and the Reformatory School; (2) Basra Division, comprising the Central Jail, Basra, with 'Amara and Nasiriya District Jails; and (3) Mosul Division, consisting of the Central Jail, Mosul, and District Jails at Arbil and Kirkuk.

POPULATION.

A most noticeable feature of the statistics for the year is the greatly increased number dealt with in the jails throughout the country-11,489 as compared to 8,199 in 1924. This increase has resulted in a much larger number being detained in the jails at the end of the year, viz. 2,694-an increase of 741 since the beginning of the year-and being unexpected has caused some financial and administrative inconvenience. A large proportion of the persons admitted were farmers, so possibly the hard winter of 1924-25, with the resultant failure of crops, may be responsible in some measure for the influx. The fact that for the first few months the figures were practically normal, rising suddenly about May and continuing at a high level for the remainder of the year, gives support to this view.

A very perceptible increase in the number of civil debtors occurred during the year. This may be due to trade and agricultural depression, but it is also possible that the easy conditions under which a debtor serves his sentence influences the numbers of this class. In the Mosul Division the average number of this class of prisoner has practically doubled since 1924.

HEALTH.

The health of the prisoners in the jails throughout the country has been uniformly good. During the year 734 cases were admitted to hospitals, and a daily average of 50 reported sick from the various jails. These figures include those treated in the jail hospitals at the Central Jails. In view of the numbers dealt with during the year, these figures are very small, considering also that a number of these cases were sick on admission to jail and were sent straight to hospital.

At Baghdad, a few cases of plague were suspected towards the end of May. All prisoners were inoculated immediately, the whole jail was thoroughly disinfected and every possible precaution was taken to prevent an epidemic. Fortunately these measures were effective and no further cases occurred.

No complaints were received from the prisoners with regard to their food, which is subjected to frequent medical inspections, and visitors to the jails invariably expressed their approval both of the food and the culinary arrangements.

The weighing of all convicted prisoners, which is carried out regularly, very rarely shows loss of weight, and in many cases there is a distinct gain. All cases of serious loss are reported to the medical officer who visits the jail daily.

DEATHS.

The total number of prisoners who died whilst in the charge of the jails was 26. With the exception of a prisoner at Baghdad who was shot while attempting to escape, and an old man who died in the night of senile debility at Kut, all deaths took place in hospital.

EXECUTIONS AND DEATH SENTENCES.

During the year ten executions were carried out One of these, at the express orders of the Government, was carried out publicly at Ramadi. In all the ten cases the execution was successful and death instantaneous At the end of the year 18 prisoners under sentence of death and awaiting confirmation of their sentences were in jail in various parts of the country.

LABOUR AND INDUSTRIES.

Efforts were made to secure employment for all convicted prisoners during the year, instructions being issued that, if it was not possible to obtain payment for labour, Government Departments were to be supplied with such labour as they required free of charge. Under this arrangement, prisoners have been extensively employed during the year upon irrigation works, road making and repairs, and railway construction. They have also been employed upon the erection, repair, and alteration of jail buildings. In the Districts, however, it was often impossible to obtain employment for more that a fraction of the prisoners, owing to the general prejudice against the employment of prison labour.

Indoor industries were also inaugurated and encouraged as much as possible, in order to provide employment for longsentence prisoners, whom it was not safe to employ outside the jail, and who would otherwise have remained idle. Apart from the immediate benefit to the prisoners of having employment, it is hoped that the fact of having a trade in their hands will be of assistance to them on their release. Financial stringency has prevented the extension of indoor industries to the District Jails, and has hampered the enlargement of factories in the Central Jails. At Baghdad, Basra and Mosul, it was possible to find employment for practically every prisoner.

The Jail Factory, Baghdad, was fully employed throughout the year. In addition to supplying clothing and blankets for all the jails of 'Iraq, the factory was able to undertake several large contracts for the supply of cloth and blankets to other Departments. During the year coir matting and carpet-making sections were added to the factory, and both have proved a success, the coir matting section having to be enlarged to cope with the orders received. Carpenter's, blacksmith's, tailor's and barber's shops are entirely run by prison labour, and at the end of the year the dyeing of wool and fabrics was initiated.

At Basra and Mosul, weaving factories have also been opened on a smaller scale. During 1926 it is hoped to enlarge them and so provide employment for more prisoners.

DISCIPLINE AND PUNISHMENTS.

The conduct and discipline of the prisoners has, in general, been satisfactory.

In August a movement was in progress in the Baghdad Jail with the object of bringing about a general rising against the jail authorities. Three of the ring-leaders were transferred to other jails, and the trouble fizzled out.