Page 281 - Records of Bahrain (4) (i)_Neat

The pearl industry, 1924-1927 269

Political Agency, .Bahrein.
D.0. No.C /.
hate the[..let January 1927.
I BUS!!«' ' FJ!> .«;i| v ry;y." j
Ron flo. 6
fkto..... b; l • i.*7. i
M- <>/Uv^L t OONFinLiSi lAl TrSSis. > lrt'
Plcaoe refer to your clSffiT-bl'fieial letter No.54 w-3.
dated the 23rd December laot.

There ia no quootion of altering the rules regarding
the rate of interest, Theoc eeem to be regarded with favour
by all peroona whose opinions are worth considering.
Shaikh Hamad’s proclamation to which you refer by no
means covers all the diving rules which as a metter of fact
are matters of custom rather than rules, and as such to be
found in no proclamations either of Shaikh Hamad or his pre-
deceosors. The matters of custom have never been coded and

one gradually_£icks_up bits of information about them as one
goes along.
f
I think the best^pdcount of the diving system will be
found in Daly’s D.O. 33/9/5 dated the 20th February 1926 to
your address. Ho had boarly 5 yearB experience hthind him when
he wrote this letter. Pleaoo turn to page 4 of this letter
and read from the words "The State is at present raining at
the gradual elimination of the system whereby the divers are

kept permanently in^debt". This will siiov/ you why the system
of limiting Tisqam was started.
Last year the rate of TiBqara was Rb.100/- for the diver
and Rs.QO/- for the puller. This year Shaikh Hamad delayed
fixing the Tisqam and on my asking the reason he told me that
the delay was due to the absenoe of Belgrave, whom he wished
to consult. Belgrave tried diving cases.
Just before the return of Belgrave the HakhodaB

petitioned Shaikh Hamad for certain reforms in the diving rules.
Shaikh Hamad sent their petition to me and also gave me a Hot
of 22 persons oonnected with the diving industry, and asked if
I would like to oonsult them, as I told him frankly that I had
tried no diving cases and did not consider* mysclf^oompetent
adviser on the customary laws relating to diving. Finally I

selected 5 Arabs and after going through tho Nakhodae* petition