Page 665 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

663

1931

Meeting of the Municipal Council, the matter of the Secretary and the loan was discussed and he came out of it with flying
colours and the approval of all the members, Prior had to admit that it seemed in this case that it was a real loan and not a
bribe. Not a very interesting meeting but a very long one. Walked back along the new road afterwards with Prior, it certainly
is a great improvement. I made a mistake writing up yesterdays diary, it was today we went to Seddad and yesterday to the
Shaikh's garden near the town, it looks in very good condition and they had a big crop of dates this season. Steele came in to
see me about the death of the three men from electricution, he is of the opinion that Jordan scamped some of the work. Played
Bridge at the Fort in the evening, Parke and Freund.

Wednesday 18th [November]

A very full morning, various people came in including the Shaikh who stayed a long time and went over a lot of business.
Then Holmes called and various others. The Shaikh as usual complained that he had not got enough money but fortunately I
took the wind out of his sails by giving him a report on the state finances first so he said that at the moment he would not
discuss his own expenditure but would leave that till another time, but he just mentioned a few of his expenses which consisted
of paying for visits to Bahrain of foreign Shaikhs and rulers from other parts of the Gulf. They have been like locusts this year
coming in great numbers and staying a long time and always as the guests of the Shaikh, it does cost him a lot of money but the
more he gives them the more they will come. Tennis party in the afternoon, quite good tennis at first then it became bad. A
person staying at the mission has got mumps so some of them are in quarantine. Parke and Holmes outstayed the rest of the
party till about half past eight, these parties start at 3.30 and last till 8.30, rather a long afternoon. The people drink an
incredible amount of whiskey and sherry at them.

Thursday [19 November]
Court, very dull cases but we got done quite early. Gardened in the afternoon and then went to Major Holmes to tea and
Bridge, Parke made the fourth, had some good Bridge. In the evening the Jordans and Freund came to dinner, afterwards
played Bridge, rather a sticky evening, much too hot for the time of year. The dinner party was very dull but all people who
we had to invite.

Friday 20th November 1931

Got up late which is a pleasant change, went to the Bank for Bridge and after lunch across to the Agency and then later on to
tennis there, very poor tennis and dull Bridge.

Saturday November 21st

The Shaikh sent for me in the morning to see him at the Joint Court, very annoying as I had a court myself, went down there
and waited a long time as he was very late, saw de Grenier about some customs business and then Prior came and finally the
Shaikh. We discussed the question of the Meglis Tajara, a sort of local court of merchants who deal with accounts and cases in