Page 346 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (II)_Neat

60
Thu most iiuuresting point in the above is the number of visits from Africa. ‘These eral'l bring
to Bahrain fish oil for re-conditioning local craft, and chundals for use in building; construction.
\n 1358 the demand for fish oil was slight, as stocks had not been used up, and the number of
crftft re-conditioned for the pearling banks was less. In 1359 there was more local .activity in
building, and consequently the demand for chundals increased.
Also to be noticed is the decrease in visits of mainland craft, which is said to be due partly to
the Food Control which exercises a very close supervision upon the. quantities it permits to be
exported, and partly due to the admission of Kuwait imports into Saudi-Arabia, such goods
proceeding by caravan, instead of by sea.
a.—Pearling Licenses:—In 1356, in view of the poor pearling seasons, the rate of collections
from Pearling Licenses was halved; but the amount of the Budget Estimate, Rs. 34,500, remained
unchanged. This estimate was reduced in 1358 to Us. .24,500, and in 1350 to Rs. .20,000; yet the
collections of Rs. 11,352 showed a decrease of Rs. 8,(>48.
If the estimate had been halved down to Rs. 17,250 the decrease would have been Rs. 5,898,
a fact which clearly indicates the present position of the pearling industry.
3*—Craft Licenses:—For the year 1359 the Budget estimate of collections from l’raft Registra­
tion was Rs. 2,000, while the actual collections were Rs. 2,411. This excess over the Budget,
however, becomes a deficit of Rs. 313 when compared with the actual collections for the year 1358.
During the past year, in view of the fact that the. month of registration, Rajah, fell during
the pearling season, it was thought fairer to the owners, in view' of the previous year’s exper­
ience, to renew the registrations earlier than Rajab where convenient, in order to save the owners
of pearling craft the penalties for late renewals. This method proved successful, and will be
repeated in 1360; but the amount collected became less than the previous year because fewer
owners had to pay late fees. Also, unfortunately, there were fewer craft to hr- renewed, as is
shown in the following table: —

Small Motor Motor Luuiichv*
Barges. Launch's. S/Tugs. Sailing Craft. Total.
Registered craft at end of 1358 20 »3 9' 97* 1.095
Newly built in 1359 ............... 9 7 16
Foreign craft newly registered ‘5 15
Converted launches ............... 3 3
Steam tug, new ............... 1 1
Steam tug, old ............... 1 1
Converted sailing craft 1 1
\ 20 13 >03 1.132
Less.—In 135*2—
■
Sold abroad 1 39 40
Broken up ............... 1 10 11
Built for sale abroad ............... 3 3
j
Removed abroad ............... 4 4 S
Confiscated abroad ............... 2 2
Lost at sea ............... 3 3
Stolen from the port ............... 1
! Small fishing boats found unscaworthy 3 5
1 launch converted to sail r 1
Total ... 16 8 102 93° 1.056
It will be seen that the decrease in number of the Bahrain registrations is mainly in sailing
craft; and the sales abroad have by no means been replaced by local construction, another result
of the recent poor pearling seasons.
A refund of Customs Duly is granted when a British marine motor is installed into a Bahrain-
built native craft, as an encouragement of the l«a*al industry.
4.—'The Port of Bahrain:—The amenities of the purt remain unchanged; hut the improvement
in the Customs Pier at Manamah, by extension to deep water, has proved as beneficial to local
traffic a& was hoped. During the past year, the T-piccc at the head of the extension was badly
battered by stormy seas on several occasions, and has had to he repaired.