Page 138 - PERSIAN 9 1931_1940

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12. Mr. Belgravo showed his usual determination in repulsing attacks on
the State Treasury, and showed much personal courage during the divers’ riot
He had handled the police, in addition to his other duties, with ability, and has
been very successful in bringing to a successful issue a number of illicit liquor
cases, gaining much credit for the administration by so doing. Ho also dis­
covered and broke up a number of boys’ brothels in Muharraq.
13. Captain L. S. Parke proceeded on short leave to India on the 22nd
January and left Bahrain for good on the 15th April. He had become more
and more perfunctory in the discharge of his duties and the reduction of this
post has been a very useful economy.
14. Mr. C. C. L. de Grenier was at his post throughout the year and was
entrusted with certain of Mr. Belgrave’s functions during the latter’s absence
on short leave, though he was not appointed Acting Adviser. He, however,
showed a decided leaning towards exceeding his instructions. He gave the
Agency great assistance in dealing with trade enquiries.
15. Bahrain Police.—It is convenient to consider under this head all the
forces of law and order in Bahrain. These consist of the remnants of the
Indian Armed Police, the local Police (who are being trained to replace them)
and the Naturs or Night-watchmen. The latter are an irregular body who do
not wear uniform, or perform any drills, and are armed with long Lee Enfield
rifles. They are posted at Manamah and Muharraq. The strength of these
bodies is given below :—
Strength Strength
on 1-1-32. on 31-12.32.
Indian Police 50 11
Followers 6 8
Arab Police 56 118
Naturs .. 121 120
16. Almost all the Indians were allowed to return to India in September
and October on completion of their agreements. A few men were engaged #in
their place, but they are principally used as Instructors, or to relieve the men
under training of guard duties. The new Arab recruits, mostly of Negroid
extraction, have made an excellent start, and there seems no reason why they
should not become as smart as Negro troops elsewhere, since they seem to have
a natural love of drill. Partly owing to the hard times dozens of men offer
themselves for enlistment, but a very high percentage are rejected for inferior
physique. Now that the initial difficulty of obtaining men has been overcome
it should be easy for the State to find their requirements locally, since men
constantly bring their friends for enlistment, as the Indian soldier does in
India.
17. Local Affairs.—No Sunni-Shiah quarrels arose during the year, and
the Muharrem celebrations passed off without incident. The educated Persians
are rapidly losing all interest in religion, but the Arabs arc more conservative.
18. Shaikh Abdullah bin Muhammad Salih and Shaikh Ali bin Husain al
Musa’ continue to be on good terms with the Agency, and both supported the
Government during the agitation against a proclamation designed to secure
honest disposal of inheritances. The Sunni Qadhis arc still the three Abdul
Latifs and are not on good terms either with the Agency or the Bahrain Gov­
ernment. Their decisions are far from impartial, and there is growing dis­
satisfaction of their administration of the Sunni Waqfs. Their attitude over
the agitation mentioned above was unsatisfactory.
19. The Financial Adviser considers that Shaikh Khalaf has been making
mischief amongst the Bahama, but no instance of it came to the Political
Agent’8 notice. During the latter part of the year the old man returned to
’Iraq to fetch a wife. But for the fact that old men do not appear to die m
Bahrain, the view might be ventured that he would not trouble anyone for long.
20. Inheritance Proclamation Agitation.—The Bahrain Government decided
at the end of Januarv to issue a proclamation, the gist of which was that «
stricter control would be kept over properties left bv deceased persons and
that steps would be taken to protect the interests of widows and orphans. The.
proclamation also provided for the calling for accounts from executors bv the
Courts, and stated that no one would be allowed to deal with an estate before