Page 152 - Bahrain Gov annual reports (V a)_Neat

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The Minors Department was instituted in 1938 in the face of strong opposition. Before
this time the Kadhis administered the property and estates of widows and orphans, greatly to
their detriment. The Department is controlled by a committee of notables, Sunnis and Shias,
under the chairmanship of Shaikh Daij bin Hamed, O.B.E. When the funds under the admin­
istration of the department increased the committee obtained permission from the Government
to grant loans to the public on interest, secured by mortgages on immovable properly or by
deposits of gold, usually ornaments. The Department now operates as a lending bank on a
large scale to the advantage of the persons whose funds it administers.

Accounts
Balance from 1372 .. .. Rs. 1,91,904 3 5 Staff Salaries, Office Expenses,
Subsidy from Government 30,000 0 0 etc. .. Rs. 66,352 9 7
Charge of 5 per cent, on interest Interest at 3 per cent, on am­
from loans 1,57.791 5 0 ounts deposited with the
Departmental Fees .. 28,524 12 8 Department for lending to
the public 77,171 4 0
Balance in Bank 264,696 7 6

Rs. 408,220 5 1 Rs. 408,220 5 I

LAND DEPARTMENT
(From the Report of Mr. Abdul Aziz A1 Saleh, Superintendent of the Land Department)
Staff. Khan Sahib Mohammad Khalil Memon, the first Superintendent of the Land
Department, who served in it since its inauguration about 30 years ago, retired at the beginning
of 1954. Mr. Abdul Aziz A1 Saleh, who had served in the Department for about 29 years
was then appointed Superintendent. He had in the past frequently acted as Superintendent
for long periods.
Land Registrations. The report covers the period from 9th September, 1953, until the
end of 1954. During these 16 months there were 640 sales, 283 registrations of titles and 249
gifts, making a total of 1,172 registered transactions which included 669 houses, 328 pieces of
open land, 88 gardens and 50 shops. The amount collected in registration fees was Rs. 36,784
for the first four months and Rs. 202,786 for the twelve months of 1954. In the preceding
year, 1372 Hejira, the collections weie Rs. 1,28,000/-. In 1356 (1937) the registration fees were
Rs. 7,600 and the scale of charges was the same. Unfortunately it was not until in com-
paratively recent years that a record was made in Annual Reports of the total values of proper­
ties sold but a comparison of the sale registration fees is significant. The substantial increase in
registration fees over the previous 12 months is due to there having been several important
sales, between individuals, in 1954, and owing to the continued advance in land prices in
Bahrain. The value of the property which was sold in the 16 months under review was about
761 lakhs, approximately £570,000. It appears that the people of Bahrain have the money
to spend on buying immoveable property.

Sales and Values. The most important sale during the year was a site at the west end of
the Manama Sea Road occupied by the Pearl Cinema and the Ice Plant and Cold Storage
premises. The price paid was Rs. 10,67,000. Special permission was granted by His Highness
for this sale as the purchaser was a member of the Kuwait Ruling Family. Land in the neigh­
bourhood of Qudhabia and on the Jufair Road was sold in various transactions for Rs. 3/- per
square foot. Several shops in Barrett Street changed hands at prices in the neighbourhood o
Rs. 80,000/-, the shop buildings themselves not being of great value. Land on the Manama
Sea Road is being offered for sale at Rs. 20/- per square foot, a price comparable with that in
the best districts of Baghdad.
The proclamation which was issued at the end of 1372 placing Persians under Bahrain
jurisdiction, in a similar category as Saudi Arabians, Omanis, Kuwaitis, etc., automation y
restricted the sale by Persians of any property to purchasers who were not Bahrain subjects.