Page 514 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

seemed to have a different idea of the object of this, and nobody agreed with the other peoples idea I asked
them to send up a letter giving full particulars. Myself I do not see any gain in having one here, nobody
knows what they are supposed to do. Abdulla bin Jabr came in this morning and told me about the Shaikhs
boys and the tutor. They had quite a row this morning and the horrid little spoilt Daij announced that this
talk of a tutor was not for him at which the Shaikh ticked him off good and hard for once in the way. Its going
to be a difficult job teaching any of them they are so absolutely spoilt. Busy morning, a lot of people came in.
Went to Rafaa in the afternoon to see the road work but found very little done and nobody working on it, I
heard that it was thought too cold for them to work, absurd. The car is out of order so Khalil Kanoo lent me
his till he has got it right again. Its a bore, though they are the same make and colour.

Sunday 12th Jan 1930

Court in the morning, got done sooner than usual. We are clearing up the pending cases very well. Went to
Muharrak in the afternoon in a launch with the doctor to see the proposed site for the new quarantine camp.
It is an old fort on a sort of island connected to the town by a causeway, an ideal place except for the fact
that it is inhabited by a lot of Shaikh Isa's Baluchi followers and I know we shall have a job in moving them.
Lovely afternoon and very nice on the sea. Afterwards we sailed all along the sea road in front of the town
looking at the condition of the road. It seems pretty good. Prior sailed over behind us and came onto the
island. He came in before dinner, seems bored here.

Monday 13th Jan.

Court. We had so many Police cases that we had to leave over six cases for next time, the persons in them
got very annoyed, one old man was sitting at the bottom of the steps that lead up to the veranda and almost
collared me round the legs in his efforts to prevent me going up and to make me stay and take his case.
Went up to the Fort in the afternoon and met Prior who wanted a rifle to take as a present to Katif where he
is going in a few days, then on for a drive. Dull day.

Tuesday [14 January]

Meeting of the Manama Biladya, a dullish meeting and the Secretary absent as his wife died very suddenly.
They discussed repealing the absurd bye law which forbids any man to go in a hired motor car with women
unless they are his wives or near relations. We pointed out how ridiculous it was. They talked a lot of
nonsense about morals but after all no other place has such a law and it is a joke all down the Gulf. Work in
the office afterwards, a lot to do these days. Walker and D.G. came to play Bridge afterwards. D.G. played
abominably badly as usual, it is a trial having him as a partner.

Wednesday 15th Jan

Went across to Muharrak in the morning for the first day of the Municipal Elections. The public are electing
five members and the Govt is appointing five. It is the first time that there has been a regular election with