Page 283 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

AND THE MASKAT POLITICAL AGENCY FOR THE YEAR 1907-1900. 99
The number of oivil eases is largely in excess of the 219 which were dealt
with last year. It seems probablo that this year’s high figure will not
generally he maintained, as the universal tightness of money has caused the
pinoh to be felt everywhere, and creditors have not been disposed to give their
debtors extensions of time. The Majlis-al-Urfi havo been very hardly worked,
often meeting in the Agency two days a week for 5 or6 hours at a time. A
still heavier work has been entailed on both this office and the Majlis in
connection with the winding up of the estates of 22 persons who died of
plague, owing money to individuals of various nationalities. In snch eases,
the shops, and housos with cash, ornaments and other valuables have been
inspected by a representative of the Agency in conjunction with the Bazar
Master or his Deputy. Everything has been listed and promptlv sealed up,
and eventually disposed of under the orders of the Majlis, unless the relations
or friends of the deceased, as happened in G cases, undertook to pay all claims
in full. In the case of a Hindu goldsmith, a total of nearly 200 creditors
(including depositors of gold and ornaments) and debtors had to be interviewed
for the verification of the accounts. In several other oases as many as 50
and GO persons have been similarly dealt with. Accounts have often had to
bo translated, and creditors and debtors in foreign ports communicated with.
Thus the bare statement that this Agency had to collect and pay out sums of
money amounting to about Us. 25,000 during the year, entirely fails to give a
proper idea of tho work performed.
The 16 persons, whose estates were realized and whose outstandings were
paid out by the Majlis, working through the Agency and Bazar Master, were
as follows :—
One British subject, 5 Persian subjects, including a Jew, and 10 Bahrain
subjects. The 6 deceased persons, whoso connections were authorized to act as
executors, -were 1 British subject, 4 Turkish subjects, including one Jew, and
1 Bahrain subject.
An abstract of the civil and criminal cases dealt with by the Agency is
given below :—
Summary of Civil eases, 1907-1908.

Disposed or
WITHOUT Referred to
WITNESSES. Kazi (mostly
matrimonial and
Referred to succossion disputes,
Majlis al or both parties Toth.
Claim Urfl. consenting).
admitted Claim Agency Munshi
with­
and watching the
settled. drawn. case.
Both parties British 6 14 5 1 29

British and Bahrainis; 27 46 IS 9 100

British and foreigners- 22 17 24 7 79

Bahrainis and foreigners • 109 142 26 19 287

Both parties foreigners 105 94 30 12 211

Total 269 283 103 39 694