Page 253 - Gulf Precis (V)_Neat

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report Abdul Ghanni Pasha was rcinstatod ; but ho had soon to make room
for a successor.
207 Said Pasha was re-appointed Governor of Hasa in 1882. ITo pursued
his old conciliatory policy towards the
Bald Paflho, 2nd timo (1882-86.)
people. But ovon at its best the Turkish
administration boro very oppressively on the people.
20S. As instances of the methods of Turkish revenue administration of this
Turkish Rovonuo administration. time in lCatif the following account given
Political A.. .Match 1682, Nob. Dl-OJ. by tho Commander of H. M/s Woodlark
in February 1882 would be interesting :—
The Turks havo commenced to tako port dues from all boats passing Darin on their way
into Kutif harbour; ulso on tho boats leaving tho port they are again boarded at Darin, and
if -they are not provided with a written passport from tho Turkish officer at Katif, for which
they have to pay Rs. 2 they are fined Rs. C or more if it can be got out of thorn.
Near Katif several plots of ground planted with date trees (formerly belonging to the
Nejd rulers, but which were confiscated by tho Turkish Government on their taking posses­
sion of the place) which formerly yielded 2,000 baskets of dates now scarcely yield 500.
Tho Turkish Government being aware of the former largo yield and ignoring the fact that
tho grounds have n«»t been properly cultivutod for several years have lately extorted from the
present holders of tho grounds a tax proportioned to the old yif-ld, but which is utterly
beyond the scopo of its present state. '1 heso men aro consequently being ruined, and appear
to bo levyiug money from their labourers, &c. ’I be whole district is in a state of alarm and
excitement, and it is believed petitions have beon made to tho Turkish Governor of El-Hasa
to rectify this.
The Governor of Katif having ordered an officer with some troops and 6ome pieces of
artillery to proceed to this village and punish the people for their turbulence, the officer
marched out of Katif with his command and thou required a written order from the Governor
ns to what extont he was to inflict punishment. Tho Governor, however, did not think
fit to give the written order, so the troops did not proceed to oxccute the verbal direction.
The principal people of the village then went to Ahmcd-bin-Maadi, overseer of Katif,
and besought him to obtain time of them bo that they might write a petition to the Governor
of El-Hasa, stating their poverty and inability to pay the largo tax levied on them. Ahmed-
bin-Ma'adi managed to got the necessary respite.
209. We may read also the following of reports of the news-agent of
Bahrein written about the same time :—
roliUcAl A, M»y 1882, Nc«. 65 68.
Translation of news-report from Residency Agent, Bahrein, No. 14, dated 24th January 1882.
After compliments.—It is 6aid by those who come from Katif and El-Hasa that the
present Pasha in El-Hasa is most energciic in collecting monoy in every possible manuer,
either in pretence of arrears of rovonue or by bribes or other method*, aod sends it to Irak.
Amon’g others they say that he has harshly imprisoned the Financial Secretary in El-Hasa,
and taken a large sum from him, and then incited a lot of pooplo to mike complaints against
him and to bring the complants to him (Pasha). There is said to be an old standing gru'Jge
between these two. Thoy also 6ay that a few days ago in Kutif the Kaim Makara seized
Ahmcd-bin-Mohdi nndconfined him for 60tno days in the Siraza (Government House) and took
from him the arrears of revenuo duo f«r the time he had been Governor of Katif. No
matter how ho protested that ho had not collected thrsc arrears, his excuses were not
listened to.
Two days ago I also heard that tho Kaim Makara assembled an ijlas in Katecf, at which
tho merchants of the town were present, and questioned them about the arrears of revenue
due by the heads of villages in the Katif district. They replied that these arrears had nothing
to say to them. The Kaim Makam said that they must either produce before him those who
owed these arrears, or else pay them up themselves. They asked why they should have to
pay. He replied becauso thoy woro iustrumental in their oscapo. Ho then got into a great
Tage aud started with 00 soldiers and ono gun for a village near Katif to frighten the in­
habitants. He found no one in tho village and returned. Ho then ordered tho 6hip to bo
got ready and the boats to be lowered to cruize around Katif and prevent anyoue from
escaping by boat. lie then published a notico thit no ono could leave Katif by 6ca unless
provided with a passport, for which Rs. 3 would bo charged.

January 1882. __
AfUr reference to my No U, dated Sth Rubi^-Awal 120!)=S5th

ttMtina In* toon bwd Iron tb.m
regarding this matter.