Page 272 - Records of Bahrain (4) (i)_Neat

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260 Records of Bahrain

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have oomo boforo ltj
Hu. /vVK) ^Xx^cX ’*1/ fo,.
In viow of .Major Daly's imminont rot.urn to Bahrain, I an
not in a pooitlon to vonturo any dotailod connonto on noanuron
or reform which havo alroadv boon instituted in the pearling
induotry during hie incumbency ao Political Agont. It nay not
however bo out or placo for no to oubnit ror your conoidoration
U one or two points which havo become apparent to me during ny
experience or thia yeare pearling ooaoon in Bahrain.

In regard to the abolition or the Salifah Court, I will
vonturo only to remark that ny experience of the diving caeeo
with whioh I have had to deal is that the restitution or a
reformed kind of Salifah Court is a necessity, both from a

point of view of equity and also from the fact that public
opinion will Booner or later demand it.
!,
I do not think that it is within the power of the ordinary
Court of Justice to deal fairly with some of the complicated
differences which arise between diver and nakhuda,
nakhuda and nakhuda and nakhuda and Tajar, without the
assistance and adilco of a body of men who enjoy universal

respect in Bahrain, and who are well versed in looal diving
ouston.

Y If it would bo possible for H.M.Government to define the
main principles by whioh these men should be guided in their
decisions, and if the Political Agent and Sheikh Hamad were
given'all the powers of appeal and revision from those decisions
in cases of necessity, I do not think there would be any serious
danger of the old oppressions and malpracticos creeping back
into the industry. At the same tine much discontent among

the nakhudao and Tajaro, who after all control the Industry,
would bo removed and the Salifah body would be in a position
to advise the ''overnmerit in regard to further measureo for
the smooth working of'the industry.

The sale of pearls with the consent of 2/^rds of the crew,
though

I