Page 219 - Bahrain Gov annual reports (V a)_Neat

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GENERAL
Shop Rents. A source of increasing complaints during recent years has been the large
increases in shop rents demanded by landlords from their tenants in shops in the Manama
Bazaar. Towards the end of the year meetings between representatives of landlords and
tenants were held by the Government with the object of arriving at some mutually satisfactory
arrangement.
Floods. Very heavy rain in the Spring and Winter of 1953 and 1954 caused flooding in
the town of Manama and owing to the high water table much difficulty was encountered in
attempts to drain off the water. The Government employed a firm of Consulting Engineers to
prepare a scheme for surface drainage and also a sewage system for Manama, the whole scheme
was estimated to cost over a million pounds and therefore it was not proceeded with. The cost
of a very modified scheme to relieve a section of the town of surface water was estimated to
cost about £100,000. The Public Works Department as a more or less temporary expedient
built several drains and installed some small pumps which caused a great improvement.

Appointments. Mr. G. L. Peace, O.B.E., was appointed Judicial Adviser to the Govern­
ment in October, 1954.
Col. A. H. St. G. Hamersley M.C., was appointed Deputy Commandant of the State
Police in December, 1954.

Pension Scheme. The Government had under consideration a pension scheme for Govern­
ment employees but final arrangements had not been completed by the end of the year.
Broadcasting. A representative, of the B.B.C. visited Bahrain in the summer of 1954 and
took recordings of talks with local celebrities, Bahrain music and various other items. The
programme was broadcast in three parts from London, in Arabic.
The opening of the Bahrain Broadcasting Station was delayed owing to damage having
been caused to some of the apparatus while in transit.

His Highness's visit to Saudi Arabia. In January, 1954, His Highness, with some of his
relations and the Adviser to the Bahrain Government, made a short visit to Dhammam, during
H.M. King Saud’s stay on the Saudi Arabia coast.

Comet Crash. Eleven persons from Bahrain lost their lives in the Comet crash off the
Italian coast on 10th January.

Slipway. A slipway built by Messrs. Gray Mackenzie on the south side of the Manama-
Muharraq causeway, was opened by His Highness in April, 1954.

Awards. On April 21st, the birthday of H.M. Queen Elizabeth, Shaikh Daij bin Hamed,
Chairman of the Minors’ Committee, Judge on the Bahrain Court and Deputy Chairman of the
Manama Municipality, received the O.B.E. from the Hon. the Political Resident. Mr. Husain
Yateem at the same time received the M.B.E.
Cold Storage. The firm of Kozaibi in conjunction with a British firm, opened a cold
storage in Manama, supplying meat, vegetables, ice cream, etc.
Archaeological Exploration. An archaeological expedition from a Danish University was
given permission by the Bahrain Government to work in Bahrain. During the cold season
of 1954 the expedition carried out work at various points in the country.