Page 1045 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

1043

1935

Thursday [17th April]

Range. Office. Lots of work. At ll am went with Steele & Mohd Khalil to the Shoreham, & stayed till
2.30, they did offer lunch but I refused. I rather enjoyed keeping the navy waiting for their lunch for a
change, they waste enough of my time! half an hour before we left the SNO began talking about customs
& he produced a long silly looking letter saying that Jufair was like a ship, & that they were not liable for
any customs etc. I got very annoyed & said our opinion was that they should pay on all imports used in
Bahrain & we had a very acrimonious half-hour. Fisher was there but took no part in the argument. The
SNO talked wildly of cabling to Commander in Chief, Admiralties etc. - hot air! Eventually left the
matter unsettled. Very late lunch, slept afterwards. A witness in the Zing case came & made a full
statement, we now have enough evidence to prove the case. Gardened after tea & DG came to call.