Page 200 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (II)_Neat

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It will be noticed that the general tendency is towards a lowering of wholesale
prices, notable in cotton pioco goods in which inarkot the Indian production is now
beginning to compete with tho Japanese, as the following comparison will indicate :

Comparison of Value Per Piece.
Year 1256. Yeah 1357.
Its. Its.

China Silk, Hand Brand 10 0 0 8 0 0
» „ Deer Brand 11 0 0 9 0 0
Indian Cotton Mulls 4 8 0 4 0 0
Marduf 5 0 0 4 8 0
ii
Japanese Taffetas 4 0 0 3 0 0
Prints 5 8 0 4 8 0
ii
Artificial plain voiles 5 0 0 4 0 0
n
„ printed voiles 6 8 0 5 8 0
ii
Printed Satins ... 5 0 0 4 0 0
n
Plain Satins 5 0 0 4 0 0
n
Cotton Long cloth 7 0 0 6 0 0
n
Mulls 3 0 0 2 8 0
ii ii
In this connectin it should be mentioned that a local piece goods agent who
had obtained from Manchester exclusive designs, found that within a few weeks these
designs had been exaotly copied in Japanese factories, whose piece goods were put
upon the Bahrain market at three rupees a pieoe cheaper than the Manchester
quotation. For th.is reason, to prevent future similar fraudulent actions, I submit
that a system of registration of trade marks and designs should be instituted in
Bahrain, as operates in India, Iraq and Iran.
II. The Pearling Season In view of the continued depression in the
pearling market and the increasing difficulty in collecting the license dues, it was
decided, after the end of the season of 1355, to halve the amounts of the pearling
licenses for the season of 1356. This was done by Government Proclamation
No. 42/1355, and the period for payment was also extended. The effect of this
action was to encourage poor nukhudhas to work upon the ‘khamraos’ (co-partnership)
system. This procedure was repeated in 1357, when two hundred and fifty-two
craft, as against two' hundred and twenty-one in 1356, set out. Of these licensed
craft, 148 were registered as khamraos in 1357, as against 163 in 1356, while the
number of (salifiah) craft decreased by only four.
It is to be inferred that not all the khamraos nukhadhas had a profitable
season in 1356, or more of them would have gone out in 1357. Similarly, the collec­
tions from Pearling Licenses were lower than in 1356 by Rs. 397. Also, the catch
for 1357 wus less than in 1356, the latter being estimated at 111 lakhs, while last
year's catch is estimated at only 7 lakhs. It is not anticipated that the next season
will be better, and there is an opinion current that it might be well to close certain
known banks every year, by mutual agreement.