Page 124 - Records of Bahrain (5) (i)_Neat

112 Records of Bahrain

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tho Government, of India consider that strong exception might'
wo11 bo taken in conversations with the Shaikh. Those
incidents show that the ruling family still havo much to loarn
in the matter of judicial probity. But for this very
reason thoy would bo reluctant to concur in the suggestion
that the presence of a Europoan State Official on the Bahrain
Court should be dispensed with. The local inhabitants have
become accustomed to the present procedure and it offors a
definite guarantee of justice. They admit that tho addition
of this duty to the multifarious duties of tho Adviser must
result in over-work to Mr. Bolgravo, but they would suggest
that tho solution lies not in any suggestion to remove him
from tho Court but to provide him once more with an Assistant.
They have observed that your proposal for a slight increase
in the emoluments of this post was combined with a reconraenda-
tion that the suggestion for the appointment of an Assistant
Adviser should be dropped. They think, however, that tho
matter requires some re-examination in view of the growth
i
of oil, air and naval interests in Bahrain, coupled with
»
tho inadvisability in their view of removing Mr. Bolgrave from
the Bahrain Court, and will be glad to receive your further
observations on this point. The__proposal for the collation
of past proclamations iB obviously sound, but thoy would
suggest that tho introduction of a Civil Code may present
unnecessary complications for a simple community, whose
commercial relations with foreigners are already dealt with
by the Agency Courts. As regards tho Criminal Code thoy
agree that the introduction of a simple code, founded on tho
Indian Penal Codo, such as the Sudan Penal Code, has much to
commend it.
(b) Proportional representation on tho Municipal Councils
of Manama and Muharraq. and on tho Mailis-al-Tuiiarah. The
Government of India agree generally with tho action taken by
Shaikh in this matter.
(c) Education^ In this matter the Government of India
observe that tho representations of tho Baharinah deputation
seem to have been entirely confined to serving the interests of
a schoolmaster whom the loaders wished to instal in a city
school. The Bahrinah ?ire mainly a rural community, and the
Government