Page 92 - Records of Bahrain (4) (i)_Neat

80 Records of Bahrain

ray telegram No.733, dated 30th July, 1923, In a lotter :td^m&i$
dated July 25th, which.lo rather to.o long .to’he 'quoted-;

vorhatlm,-Major holy urged that olnco the proposal to
'*• • • • 'j.d
appoint a Judicial Assistant was first mooted several
changes havo occurred which tend to modify the situation;.:'
The first essential of the Reforms is that.the Bahrain
state finances should he able to hear the expenditure, and
at first no difficulty was anticipated in this respect.
Recently however the financial position has not been so
favourable. Customs receipts have dropped from Rs.90,000/-
to below R6.40,000/- in the lost month, and it appears

that this is likely to continuo till the end of the pearling
66uson. On the other hand unavoidable and unforeseen
expenditure, including large borrowings by Shaikh Isa and
a number of old debtB, ha6 had to be faced. Major Daly
expresses the hope that it will be possible ip to pay* off
these dfcbts by'noxt cold weather, and keep the 6tate solvent.
But for the meantime great caution and scrupulous oconomy
are in his opinion necessary. Shaikh Hamad has already
| undortakon to bear the co6t of an official to put the
l It
• Customs in order; and this/ls hoped will bear fruit in the
shepe of better receipts, When the Customs have been
reformed, and the finances have a credit balance it will
then be time to take the next step in the reforms programme:
and that he suggests, should be a survey to enable a Depart­
I
ment for the registration of property to be set up: a reform
: to which Shaikh Hamed attachee greater importance than
anything el6e, as xii without a record of land, boats and
rights, no proposals for equalization of taxation cen use­

fully be initiated, When the registration of property has
been carried out, many problems may be expected to arise
which will require export legal handling. And it is at this

6tnge that Mk# Major Daly suggests the services of a judi-
*, export
j clal/nxpxi may be enlisted to advise Shaikh Hometf on how to
• tackle this problem, how to osteblieh a better court to deal
with cases among Bahrain subjects, and so on. Thl6 will be*
«i
it

mm