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coincide with the hiring of an expert to review the Administration. 682   Later, on 5

                   June, Lloyd approved Burrows’ recommendations and further advised that Smith’s


                   new post was to be known as the ‘Secretary to the Government of Bahrain’.    683


                          A meeting was arranged between the Ruler and the NUC on 3 June to

                   continue their dialogue.  The parties discussed the inaugural sessions of the Health


                   and Education Councils and why the NUC had failed to attend them, despite the

                   Government’s invitation to.  They answered by informing the Ruler ‘that other more


                   important matters had to be settled first’.  The NUC further questioned the Ruler

                   about the Board of Enquiry’s report, which had been presented to the


                   Administration but not yet made public.  According to the Residency’s intelligence,

                   the overall attitude of the NUC had recently been negative, due largely to internal


                   divisions.  The latest division within the political party came about when local

                   merchants were ‘trying to exercise a restraining influence’ on the NUC.  Burrows


                   saw the NUC in clear opposition to the Administration Council.  The reason for the

                   Party’s objection was due (in the Resident’s opinion) to the Council’s ‘success in


                   dealing with administrative problems and personal complaints’.   684   Gault confirmed

                   the Resident’s views of the Administration Council’s work since its establishment


                   earlier in the year.  In Gault’s opinion the Council had ‘fully justified its creation and

                   has, in fact, served as a receiving agency and forum for discussing suggestions and


                   requests from the public’.  Additionally Gault associated previous disturbances in

                   Muharraq to Muharraqis’ general feeling that the Adviser had neglected them as he


                   682  TNA, FO 1016/467, Despatch 510, Burrows to FO, 3 June 1956; also in TNA, FO 371/120572; and
                   TNA, FO 371/120573, D.M.H. Riches to Burrows on Bahrain and Sir Charles Belgrave, 5 June 1956.
                   683  TNA, FO 1016/467, SOSFA to Residency, 5 June 1956.
                   684  TNA, FO 1016/467, Despatch 511, Burrows to FO, 3 June 1956.


                   © Hamad E. Abdulla                       220
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