Page 299 - Records of Bahrain (4) (ii)_Neat

Bahrain reforms, 1929 601
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simple courts where caseo are expeditiously settled,not
on legal technicalities hut on diving or commercial
practice understood by all or according to the religious
percepts of the parties concerned? we have enabled the i1
r
State out of its own resources to make one or two good
roads, to instal electric lights, and to make at any
rate some small beginning with education. Finally,And

to this l attach m much importance, there are now in
Bahrain tv/o municipalities which do good work. Their
resolutions are at times ludicrous, as for instance
when they wished to decree that laaies must v/e^r certain
ty_ie3 of garments, but on the whole their work is satis­
factory and at any rate the members are gaining some

experience of local self-Government, whicn it is to be
hoped will in course of time enable them to be of ser­
vice in a wider sphere.
8. Bahrain has 3 European officials, an Adviser,or
Diwan as he v/ould be called in India, a Superintendent of
Police and a Director of Customs, and l must say that 1
think the State is extremely fortunate in the Europeans

whose services it has secured. Mr. Belgr.ive is keen and
tactful; has had previous experience of Arabs in the
Colonial Service and speaks the language well and is d
charming and cultured man to meet in himselfx he struck
me as being the best stamp of British official and just

the man that is required. Mr.Parke i did not meet,as he
is at home on leave, but the Political Agent spoke highly
of him, iir. de Grenier, though of a different type to
Mr.Belgrv.ve, is full of entnusiasm about the somewhat
humdrum functions he is called upon to perform,and Colonel
Barrett thought highly of him, as reported to the Govern-
ment of India in his despatch uo.J.84-3 dated ist June 1929.
9. There is really no analogy between Buhrain and an
Indian dtate. The latter cm. obtain as many fuily trained

fndian officials as they require, yet deupite this an
•increasing