Page 518 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

Went down the bazaar in the morning and then to the Bank where we played Bridge. Cold day and very
windy. Prior came back in the afternoon and said he thought that the Bahrana in Katif had nothing to
complain about. As he stayed in the castle of the Amir and saw nobody except the Amir's people he couldnt
have got much of an idea about it. They told him that the man who had been put into prison was there for
smuggling, this I am sure is untrue as he did not take anything back with him from here. I am entirely in
sympathy with the Baharna. If only they did not own so much in Katif they would all come over here. They
being Shias and the Govt there Sunni, and Wahabi at that, they have a very difficult time and are oppressed
in every way. Tea at the Agency. The R.A.F. man who is to build their rest house arrived, of the sergeant
major class.

Saturday [25 January]

Very busy day. Various people came in. Fort in the morning, then had Jordan for some time, then went to
see the Shaikh at the Joint Court, then to the Customs and to Jordan again and then the R.A.F. man, Howell,
called. The Shaikh seemed cross about our having issued identity documents to some of the Baharna from
Katif. Although they are his subjects he cares nothing for them as he is so nervous of offending Ibn Saoud. It
annoys me. The Shia Kadi, Shaikh Abdulla called in the afternoon and was very indignant about the Katif
question. They are going to make a public petition. Went out to see another site for the quarantine, the
Shaikh altered his mind about having it in the old fort at Muharrak. Found a fairly suitable site. Dinner at the
Dames. The boat was expected but didnt come. Walker sent me some cuttings of a creeper called milkweed
which he got from Katif. Hope it grows. Very cold day. Dined at the Dames, awful.

Sunday [26 January]

Court. Very cold weather. One of Shaikh Mohamed's sons is to be married and came to invite me to the
wedding, couldnt go as we dined with de Grenier. Walker was there and we played Bridge, played badly and
went down a good deal. In the afternoon we went out to Mohamed Yatim's garden, he is building a very nice
looking little house in it that looks quite like an European house as it has no verandas. Went into Kanoo's on
the way back about the car.

Monday [27 January]
Meeting of the Shia Schools committee. I told them that we intended making various changes in the general
administration of the schools and put up to them various of the reforms. After a great deal of talk I got what
I wanted passed and actually signed by the members. The Kadi was there and helped me a lot. He and I and
the Inspector of Schools had decided on a plan of campaign beforehand, I was to ask for various things which
we did not expect to get, then he was to ask for them to be amended and I was to give in gracefully on
certain points and clinch the rest, it all worked out as we had planned. They actually of their own accord
suggested one of the things that I had meant to introduce later on, a single council for all education both
Sunni and Shia. The meeting lasted from 9.30 till one oclock.