Page 237 - Records of Bahrain (4) (ii)_Neat

Bahrain reforms, 1929 539

to one.
Customs recoipts aro tho moot important
item in tho ravonuo of the State. At tho moment they
amount to about 10 lakho, and thoy havo boon going up
otoadily under tho control of Ur. do Gronior for the
last two or throe years. The Bahrein trade ie vory
oubBtantial (wo have reoently heard that exports and
imports to and from tho Arab coast alone aro
'respectively 63 and 10 lakhs of rupeos), and Ur.
Howard Belgravo, the Financial Adviser, in private
conversation here last summer, strongly emphasised
that his own position would bo made most difficult
were it decided to disponso with the services of a
European Director of Customs. The Sheikh, he said,
would of course take whatever advice was given him (ytiLf-fV*
on thiB point, but it would impose an impossible
burden on tho Financial Advisor (evon assuming that
he waB not at the same time required to take
responsibility for the police consequent on the
abolition of a European Commandant) to require him
in addition to what was already a full day's work
to supdrvioo tho Customs administration. Ho felt
sure that withdrawal of the European Director of
Customs would be followed by un increuso *in
corruption, and by a definite falling off in revenue.
1 Sir Frederick Johnston's letter supporto
!
this view, and it ib perhaps to bo hoped that, in tho
light of his report, tho Govomment of India will
reconsider the question of recommending tho abolition of
i
the Direotor of Customs. It is understood from private
information that Ur. de Grenier's term of service has
been extended up to Juno.