Page 233 - Records of Bahrain (6)_Neat

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Budgetary affairs

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has budgetod for a daareaso in customs receipts amounting
to approximately Rs. 4,80,000 on the grounds that it
probablo that the prico of commodities will fall during
tho prosent year with a corresponding reduction in the
amount of tax recoverable, and bocauso certain payments
Y/ore recoivod in 1363 for goods which wero in fact im­
ported in 1362. Although it Is not possible to Judge
tho effect of this last item, as the figures have not
been disclosed, it is probable that there will bo a
falling off in revonue during the present yoar and tho
Adviser Is probably correctly cautious. I cannot agree
that a reduction of Rs. 23.550 in tho receipts from
'•Land Revenue" is reasonable. I should havo boon
lnclinod myself to havo ostlmated for ut least as much
as was recoivod in 1363 especially in view of tho Air
developments which aro known to tho Adviser und to mysolf.
Tho small reduction in the "Educational" recoipts is not
in the least Justified for with an increase in educational
facilities in Bahrain, in particular on tho female side,
tho Adviser should expect to receive an increased return
for the outlay and the budget estimate for 1364 should
bo greater than the actuals for 1363.
I consider the large reduction in the estimate
for this year coraparod with the actuals for last year
under "Vehicle Taxes and Driving Licences" is not
justified for the indications are that tho activities
of the oil Company will bo continued and that as soon
as the construction work of tho refinery has ceased
the export of some 50,000 tons of surplus coke will be
embarked upon and thus all available transport v/ill be
employed. Nor is there any reason to suppose that new
Bahrain passports will not be issued ’during the present
year with a consoquont decrease in tho incomo from
"Passport Receipts'’. "judicial Receipts" have been
reduced by a considerable amount without, in ray opinion,
adequate roason, for it is impossible to forecast what
civil suits will be instituted and estimates should
normally be bused on averages for previous years nor
Is it wise to indulge in the annual wish that every
body will be bettor bohaved in tho new year and therefore
the magistrates will not have to inflict such heavy fines
as they did in the old year. Jhore would be more chance
of this dream coming true if tho Judiciary would inflict
larger and more adequate fines than is their present
practice.
It is true that the question of "Bridge Tolls" is
under consideration but even if the proposal for a fixed
monthly contribution put forward by the Royal Air Force
is accepted by the Bahrain Government it is possible that
Lm there will be no diminution in tho receipts. In fact if
tho prosent system of charges is reasonable,/such is the
contention of tho Bahrain Government, then there should
be no reason to anticlpato a fall in revenue.
4. On tho "Expenditure" side I have no comments to
make on tho allowances t0 the Ruling Family and I con­
sider that an incroase in the stuff of tho customs
I%nI)QT5morit *s ^onB over duo, but I am puzzled by the
considerable increase in the forecast for tho "Land
uopartraent" which is not explained by the Adviser and
in view of the anticipated reduction in revenue from
this source seems scarcely Justifiable. There is also
no explanation for the additional grants in the first
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