Page 277 - Records of Bahrain (4) (i)_Neat

The pearl industry, 1924-1927 265
-equately deal,with diving disputes, Had Dallam been here sufficiently
long to really study the diving question Jc to kjuunx.thsxtMKfcixtx take

the measure of the local people,lie could net have failed to come to
the conclusion that thero oxiste in Uahrain no body of men capable,or
oufficiently disinterested , to form a tribunal fit tocjeal with diving
diaputea before the nev/ system haa had full effect on the whole diving
4pdtortiry.
The Diving rulea are nct^as Mallam appears to think,intricate
or in any way difficult,nor has there beon^in introducing the reforms/
any attempt made to alter the rules long established by custom. The
intfiaadiss of the situation arise from the appalling abuses v/hich have
been allowed to creep in during Sliaik ’Jsa’a negligent rule/and it ia
the gradual elimination of these abuses which necessitates,for some

little time,diving cases being taken in a court which is impartial^&
which from the knowledge it derives from the many cases which come before/
it is in a position to gradually frome rules which v/ili prevent
recurrence of the abuses. Mallam must have had extreme difficulty i/i
distinguishing between customary rules,^ what one may call customary

abusea,by which I mean abuses which in late years had become Y/ell nigh
MX. •
ousternaryfbut which known, to be a breach of the original
rules . The customary diving rules are well known^and can bo clearly
/rVM-
stated in a A new ’code* of diving rules Y/ould cause an
uproar and is quite unnecessary,all that is now required is knoY/ledge,
combined with action^ to put a atop to abuses of the v/ell known code,
this the court is rapidly effecting & the spade work has already been
one,Care is essential for a few years to guard against backsliding,
I have studied this particular branch of the reforms

more than any other ,au it is by far the most important .The benefits of
the reforms are already evident;and are most encouraging^ there is
little doubt that in a few years,if the system be persevered in,almost
all the divers will be out of debt & the accounting system will then
be reduced to ouch a simple form that the few disputes which could aristf
jii nrf* M i~vc*vO *n
would be immediately settled,The most encouraging part of all this is/

that there is a very distinct change in the attitude of the Nakhudas.
themselves,who are slowly realising the advantages. If they could revert