Page 328 - Records of Bahrain (5) (ii)_Neat

6-1 n Records of Bahrain

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2. Drinking, Water. (Cont'd.)
At the Refinery every man working there can have
distilled water — the same as Class I people have in their
houses• The only difference actually is that the water at
the Class III drinking places in the Refinery is not iced,
but cooling coils have been installed and it is quite cool
enough to drink, Next summer cooling will probably be
even more efficient.
The drinking water delivered to the Rafa camp is a
ht ■nd half mixture of Zellak well water and distilled
water. The domestic, running wator there for washing, etc,,
is Refinery well water. In the Refinery barasti camp, Zellak
well water is supplied for drinking. In the field, it is
piped to all camps for all purposes. Zellak well water is
among the best well waters on the Island and is probably better
than what moot of the employees have been accustomed to all
their lives, some doctors considering it more healthful than
distilled water, Certainly, it contains no "microbes" —
periodic examinations are made to assure this.
, Mr. 7/cightman mentioned that water piped to outlying
stations such as the Catherine Stations probably arrived very
warm, and that this warmth was the basis for some of the
complaints. It was pointed out that porous, earthenware
jars such as are used generally to cool water in this part of
the world, which should give the men water as cool as they
are aocustomed to, have been provided in certain locations.
••
Y
3. Comparative pay between Bahreini and foreigner.
:■
Most of the Bahreinis at present receive less than
.the-Indians and some of the other nationalities because of the
relative inexperience of the Bahreinis, as a result of which
.two or three Bahreinis are required to fill the place of one
][ndian. Many of the Indians have had as much as 10 or 15
years1 experience at Abadan end elsewhere before coming here.
In spite of this the Company has reduced its Indian personnel
at the Refinery from 230 to 132 during the past fourteen months.
! r 3ome of the high points of the general situation at
the refinery, where there is the greatest concentration of
labor, are brought out in the attached memorandum, which was
read at the meeting.
I
$ Sick Leave.

Contract men are given half pay in accordance with