Page 198 - Records of Bahrain (4) (i)_Neat

186 Records oj Bahrain
3
in Arabic and I then left. Ahmed bin Lalicj and Abdul Wahab Zayani
wore detained and sont oh to the " Lawrence ”, which had returned that
morning, for deportation.
Aftor this interview the Political Agent and I interviewed Shaikhs
Hamad and Abdulla at length about tho Dowasir tribo. Wo had heard from
tho Shaikhs and other sources that about two-thirds of tho tribe had loft
Budaiya and about one-third remained with Shaikh Isa bin Ahmed Dowari.
Tho object of the manoeuvre was fairly obvious, viz., to keep a foot in both
camps, and to provent confiscation us much as possible by pretending that
most of the property in Budaiya belonged to tho section who remained.
This arrangement did not commend itself at all to me, and after a lot of
discussion it was decided that Shaikh Hamad should communicate with the
Dowasir and say that as Colonel Knox had told them that tlioy might go if
they wanted to, subject to penalties, I had no objection to this course, but
that I could not agreo to a portion of tho tribo going and a portion staying :
oithcr they should all return to Budaiya within ten days or all leave. If
they went however, Shaikh Hamad would, with the approval of Govern­
ment, punish them by conliscating their property, releasing their divers
from their contracts, and if necessary, prevent them from diving. As
Shaikh Hamad seemed very nervous about acting himself I gave him a letter
promising him support in taking the action mentioned against the Dowasir.
I will now refer to the question of the actual reforms which I have dis­
cussed with the Political Agent and to some extent with Shaikhs Hamad
and Abdulla. I think tho following reforms arc necessary and should be
introduced with as littlo delay as possible.
(1) Reorganization of the Custom House.—This was taken in hand
immediately after the deposition of Shaikh Isa and Mr. Bower of the
Imperial Indian Customs Department was deputed to carry it out. This
reform is almost completed now. Mr. Bower found the accounts in a
terrible state and obvious signs that embezzlement had taken place on a
large scale. As however the principals of the firm of Gangaram Tikamdns,
who undertook the management of the Custom House for Shaikh Isa, had
recently died, it did not seem profitable to pursue the question, beyond re­
covering some Its. 70,000 which tho books of the firm showed to bo due to
the Bahrain Government. Mr. Bower devoted himself to introducing a
proper system of accounts and a regular system of enforcing payment of
dues. Under the old regime certain merchants had private arrangements with
tho Director of Customs under which they were permitted to pay their duty
once or twice a year when it suited them. On Mr. Bower assuming charge
the receipts immediately rose enormously and for each month during Mr.
Bower’s deputation they have greatly exceeded those of the same month in
any of the previous three years. On the 4th November the receipts for the
current Mohammadan month had exceeded one lakh, and Mr. Bower now
informs mo that they arc now averaging Rs. 1,000 per diem more than tho
average daily total for the same day of the lust three years. This is very
satisfactory, and reflects great credit on Mr. Bower. Mr. Bower proposes to
arrange for the completion of the end of the Customs jetty, and of tnc light
railway on it, and for tho erection of sheds on the middle of it. His work
at Bahrain will shortly be finished, and will have been of the greatest use
to the finances of the Bahrain State.
The success of Mr. Bower’s efforts have convinced Shaikhs Hamad and
Abdulla of the necessity to have a European Director, and in consultation
with them and the Political Agent, Mr. Bower has drawn up a scheme for
a European Director; the terms arc good—pay to commence at Rs. 1,000
per mensem and rise by annual increments ol Rs. 50 to Rs. *2,000 if the new
Director proves a success and wishes to stay. Provision is made for a provi­
dent fund and the arrangements for leave closely approximate to the
reflations under the Fundamental Rules. Mr. Bower ihinks it will be
impossible to get an Indian Customs official to take up tho job even if one
could be spared, which seems unlikely, but ho says that the work is very
simple, there being only a flat ad valornn rate and no complicated valuations
or assessments and that no Customs experience is necessary . The essential I
qualifications are integrity, energy and a knowledge of accounts. There