Page 310 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

307

1927

Monday [10 October]

Went to Agency in morning & had a long discussion with Shaikh & Alban about Dawasir. Eventually we sent them a letter
saying they were free to return. Gardens after tea. Alban, Pack & Brenfeld came to dine. Cold day. Dined indoors & not too
hot. Found some things missing from the box of silver which M sent out. I opened it a month ago & took out some things,
didnt nail it up but put several cases on top. It must be Mohamed or Omar or Ali or the sweeper. Horrid to feel that there is a
thief in the house.

Tuesday 11th October
Municipal Council meeting in morning. Not a very interesting one but much talk & jokes about registering & censoring
gramophone records. Eventually appointed a committee to censor records. They are extremely indecent, also a "luxury tax" of
2 annas per record to be levied. Quite a good idea, also porters to be licensed & numbered & infectious diseases to be reported
compulsorily. Young Mubarak took quite an interest in the gramophone question. The Meglis is so much better, younger &
more up to date, than the previous one. The old Shaikh from Bushire came & worried again & eventually paid him off by
giving him Rs 450/- to leave Bahrain. He was very pleased about it & obviously got more than he hoped for. A striking old