Page 223 - Records of Bahrain (4) (i)_Neat

Further reforms, 1924-1927 211

Shaik Hamad took oliawge progress in every direotion of Municipal
work has been rapid.He is himself President of the committee 9c the
entire management of affairs is vested in tht Muniaipal Majlis.Ths
P.A. attends meetings sx offioio & the membors often oonsult him,but

apart from helping wlitnxx asked to do so,ho lias no part in its
management & Sheik Hamad liimeelf tokos no deoieiona except with the '•
oonourrenoe of the majority of the members. The improvements effected
by the Municipality aro non part of the ’Reforms1 introduced by us.
To revert to the actual ’reforms*
(1) The Bahrain Court has bean working or over a yea* 9c is moat
same
popular exoept porliapo with moraboro of A1 Klialifeh who now have to
KFpMxx. bo amenable to Iaw like everybody else ,& a few of the rich
men who ,under the old regime,nobody could corapalin against no matter
what they did.

All thay remains to be done iB to get out a simple ’Civil Code’ 9a
much
'Criminal Code’ as xx±l for the guidanoe of the gourt as for the
information of the publlo.lt is not fair on either that cases should
be deoided off-hand by the light of naturo alone, Shaik Hamad &
everybody whom we have consulted desire a simple set of Riles,& their

introduction will meet with general approval. The idea is to keep
everything as simple as possible.
(2) Diving- Tho main difficulty has been overcome,inasmuch as ITokhudas
have stopped their opposition & now produce their accounts to the
Courts when raquired. The Shaik will shortly issue tho proclamation
a oopy of whioh was sent you with my No . There is nothing new in
thls-it merely lays down the existing oustom but Insists that the
Hakhudas shouod not swindle.The only* innovation is the introduction

of th divers* aooount books.This was proposed by Colonel Trevor &
•greed to by Oovornmiiat & tho books are printed & ready for issue
•t the expiry of this season.The object is to do away with the oustom
of allowing accounts to run on for years without the diver knowing
how he stands.Everybody knows that the system io about to be intrid­
-uaed 9c agree that it is a good ono. The decent Nukhudas weloome it,
•b protecting them as much as it doeu the divers.Nakhudas who were
Slven to sharp practice naturally don’t like it.
(3) The Survey is arranged for-everybody knows about it, Rh*iV W m<m m A Am