Page 301 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

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1927

Tuesday

Opening of the new road in the morning. It was quite a good show. The police & all the Muharrak & Manama Arab natives
acted as a guard of honour, about 200 of them & then the Shaikh cut the cord which we had stretched across the road & at a
given signal they fired his salute from the guns at the Customs then he motored along to the Municipal meeting followed by a
long string of cars. The first meeting of the new Meglis, quite a good meeting. Discussed & settled the system of voting for
the future. Went to the garden in the afternoon.

Wednesday [28 September]

Had a meeting at the Palace in the morning about the wakf department being under the Education Dept, & also about reducing
allowances of the Khalifa, the last being an awkward subject. The Shaikh whenever we suggested any reduction said "it would
break his heart & he would die of hunger" though why some relations should "die of hunger" on Rs 500 a month while others
could exist on Rs 40/- is more than I could see. The Shaikh disliked the subject & tried repeatedly to get out of it by remarking
on the lateness of the hour & by gazing at nothing with his field glasses, we, Alban & I & Abdulla & the Shaikh, sat outside on
the balcony, very pleasant & cool. The Shaikh found innumerable excuses why endless relations should not have their salaries