Page 566 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

Friday 27th [June]

Breakfast with Major Holmes, then Bridge at the Bank and the usual tennis at the Agency. The weeks seem
to go very fast out here, I suppose it is because one does the same things over and over again.

Saturday 28th [June]

Court. In the afternoon I went up to call on the Shaikh at the Palace. he was in his big Meglis and had all the
fans on hard, though it was a pleasant cool afternoon and no need for them, and he also had most of the
lights on. There were a lot of his relations calling on him as is the custom when anyone moves house.
Several of the murderers were there and a lot of very wooly looking Bedus from the mainland who looked at
the lights and fans as if they were a most develish invention. The Shaikh kept on telling the servants to turn
them on and off and then he talked for a long time about the wonders of wireless and refrigerators. He has
got one though I dont think it will be of much use to him as he will soon mess it up. He is really very pleased
indeed with it all, he gave Jordan a carpet when he came to the Palace, not a very good one, but Jordan was
delighted at being honoured by the gift. Went out for a drive in the afternoon but as I was so late we didnt
get out till late. Dined with the Jordans, quite a party, played pontoon, its a better game than roulette as in
the latter there is no play at all. The Jordans are soon moving to their new house which is on the edge of the
sea road nearer to us.

Sunday [29 June]

Had a meeting about the school in the Shia school in the morning. It was before breakfast but lasted so long
that I was very late getting back.

Sunday [?]

Meeting in the Court with Sulman about an inspection of date gardens which we are making as so many
people have written in petitions to say that the crops are bad owing to the locusts. In no other country
would the Government deduct a proportion of the rent by Government order because it was a bad year, here
they often do it. The landlords quite rightly say that when the year is unusually good they get no benefit so
why should they exempt the tenants when it is a bad year. Shaikh Sulman is very annoyed and says it is all
owing to Shaikh Abdulla whose tenants have not made any complaints against him, or rather claims for
remission. We appointed a committee who are to go round and visit all the gardens whose tenants have
complained, its a big job. Went up to the Shia Wakf department afterwards and had a good look at their
accounts with Mohamed Khalil, they seemed fairly in order except that the President had been helping
himself to public funds, but he had given receipts for all he had taken, still its not a thing that can be allowed.
Its really quite hopeless leaving any of these people to run their own show, they always get into a mess and
its generally dishonesty. Took Major Holmes out for a drive and went round to his house for a while
afterwards. He has a little house rather in the middle of the town but quite comfortable. In the evening we