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CHAPTER V.

ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE KUWAIT POLITICAL AGENCY
FOR THE YEAR 1937.
I.—TnE Political Agency.
Personnel.—(a) Captain G. S. do Gaury, M.C., held charge of the Agency
from 1st January to 7th April and from lltli June to 31st December.
Captain A. C. Stewart, I.A., held charge from 8th April to 21st May.
Dr. A. L. Greenway, M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. (Lond.), I.M.D., held charge from
22nd May to 10th June.
(b) Assistant Surgeon A. L. Greenway, M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. (Lond).,
I.M.D., was in medical charge of the Charitable Dispensary and performed
the duties of Quarantine Officer throughout the year, except for the period
from 14th June to 10th October when Dr. C. E. Watts officiated for him.

II.—The Ruling Family.
His Highness the Sheikh Sir Ahmed Ibn Jabir as Subah has continued
to be the Ruler of Kuwait, and administered the State during the year under
review. His Highness did not leave the State.
2. Sheikh Abdulla as-Salim as Subah, cousin of the Ruler, paid a short
visit to Baghdad in the autumn.
3. The obligation of His Majesty’s Government incurred towards the
Sheikh of Kuwait in 1914, in guaranteeing freedom from taxation for his
date gardens in Iraq remains, as reported last year,- undischarged although
official correspondence on the subject continues.
4. With effect from 1st April the address of the Ruler and his successors
was changed from His Excellency to His Highness. The proper style in
Arabic is —J| ^

III.—The Political Agent’s relations with the Sheikh.
The personal relations of the Political Agent with the Ruler remained
cordial throughout the year.
In the background there have, it must be admitted, been shadows caused
by the Palestine agitation, and continuous Italian propaganda of all kinds.
By the end of the year, action in Palestine, news of the British rearma-
ment programme, and of the measures projected by Britain to counter
Italian propaganda by “ straight news ”, were beginning to restore confi­
dence in Britain’s ability for leadership.

IV.—Local Interests.
(а) Customs.—A full report on the imports and exports for the year
will be found in the Kuwait Trade Report, a non-confidential publication.
The Customs duty remained at 5 per cent, except for imports by British sub­
jects which stays at 4 per cent.
(б) Municipality.—No remarkable changes in the township of Kuwait
or its administration have taken place during the year.
The ruler continues, with excellent results, to forbid a local newspaper
cinemas, theatres, alcoholic drink, and gramophones in coffee shops. ’
(c) Street widening.—The Municipality has carried out some street
widening near the Customs sheds on the water front, making an improvement
in appearance and convenience. 1
(d) Public Library.—A new library was opened during the year under
review for the uso of the public.