Page 382 - PERSIAN 8 1931_1940_Neat

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(c) that General Export Manifests would be issued to all craft pro­
ceeding with cargo to the mainland, and
(d) that the minimum number of packages which would be allowed
for transhipment at sea would be reduced to 100.
The agreement also provided, reciprocally, for the issue of manifests
for cargo shipped from Bahrain or the various Sa’udi Arabian ports.
10. Municipalities.—Owing to the lack of funds no works of any
magnitude could bo undertaken by the Manamah or Muharraq Munici­
palities during the year. Much useful business has, however, been done by
the two bodies. Visitors are invariably impressed by the cleanliness of
Manamah and Muharraq towns.
11. Public Works.—(i) Through the courtesy of the Bahrain Govern­
ment the State Engineer and Superintendent of the Land Department were
engaged for over six months in supervising the construction of a pier and
various buildings at the Naval Base at Jufair.
(ii) Considerable work has been done on the projected causeway
between Manamah and Muharraq.
12. Electric Department.—113,013 units were sold in 1935 as compared
with 97,025 units sold during the preceding year. Consumers increased
from 527 in 1934 to 586 in 1935.
The Naval Base at Jufair was connected to the Manamah electric
system during the year by means of an overhead three phase 400 volt line.
The Base is very completely electrified : besides lights and fans electricity
is used for pumping water, for heating bathwater and for refrigerators.
Towards the end of the year a hand telegraph line was run from the
cable house of Cable and Wireless Limited near Jubailah to the Company's
transmitting station at Hora, to connect the submarine cable with the
Wireless Station.
The Naval Base and the offices of the Bahrain Petroleum Company,
Limited at the New Camp were connected to the Manamah telephone system
during the year.
13. Education.—There were seven boys’ and girls’ schools in Manamah
and Muharraq with 1184 students on the rolls as compared with 827 students
on the rolls at the commencement of the preceding year. 35 teachers were
employed by the Bahrain Government on the 31st December.
All the boys who passed out of the school with school leaving certificates
found employment with the Bahrain Government or the Bahrain Petroleum
Company. Indeed, the number of boys who thus passed out was insufficient
to fill the posts which were vacant.
Towards the end of the term the girls’ school held an exhibition of
needlework. The work was well done and would find ready sale but the
girls refuse to part with their handiwork. I
The Bahrain Government propose, as soon as sufficient funds are
available from the oil royalties, to increase the number of village schools,
and have already opened one new school at Sitrah.
14. Trade.—(i) The state of the pearl trade is bad, though the pearling
season _ is said to have been slightly better than in 1934. Buyers no longer
come to Bahrain and the catch is largely taken to Bombay for sale.
(ii) The total value of imports into Bahrain amounted to Rs. 1,20,93.400
as against Rs. 92,03,930 and exports to Rs. 91,67,070 as against Rs.
59,53,920. These figures do not include material and apparatus imported
free by the Bahrain Petroleum Company under the terms of their concession.
(iii) Cargo valued at Rs. 42*,22,750 was transhipped at Bahrain for
the mainland and other ports as compared with cargo valued at Rs. 24,36,5UU
transhipped during 1934.
15. Indzistries.—Nil.
16. Athletics.—Interest in ‘soccer’ continues and there are now three
hockey teams.