Page 306 - Records of Bahrain (5) (ii)_Neat

626 Records oj Bahrain

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ewployment in Buhrain although they were
offered generous terms.

4. At one time it was suggested that
Shaikh Abdullah bin Isa Alkhalifah might bo
able to obtain an Alim from Iraq but this
is now out of the question as the persons
whom he might have approached are no longer
in the Government.
5. The Buhrain Government would be

obliged if you could possibly enquire through
the authorities in Baghdad whether the Judi­
cial department of Iraq Government could re­
commend a suitable man on the terms which I v.A 22
mentioned in my letter No. 994/26 dated 18th
September 1937. The only alternative to a
v^adi from Iraq would be a Persian, and this
for political reasons is obviously impossible..
6. The Shia population in Bahruin is

probably about 100,000 persons, the majority
of whom are Bahrain subjects, so the duties
and work of the Shia Shera Court are more
important than that of the Sunni Court.
7. The state of the Shia Court has
been a legitimate suhject for criticism for
some time and the Government is anxious to
put an end to this criticism which until now

has been local but may very possibly become
the subject of press propoganda.

I have the honour to be,
Sir.
Your most obedient servant,

Adviser to the Government.