Page 286 - Records of Bahrain (4) (i)_Neat

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274 Records oj Bahrain
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Hole by Mr.lelg ave, Financial Advloor to
the Bahrain Government, on hohrnin Faarl l'lohoro.
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The 'living community in Hnhruin conolota of 3
categorLooi the ohoru incroliante who do tho big buying and
oolling onu who either own or finance the boato, the nakhudae
t
or bont ouptaino, and the large inarticulate mano of divore,
ill itorato Arnbo who wore provioualy oheatod arul opproened
ty their employerB, or rather their omicro, the boat captaina*

About 15,000 local divero go out from Bahrain every eoaoon
: and it hue boon eutimntod that about 100,000 men from tho

whole Oulf uro ornplqyed on tho banka every year.
Attompta to improve the diving oyatem mot with
difficult leo. The divero wore nuapioiouu and apathetio, tho
merchant a and cap ta inn war a violently oppoaed to cliangoo that
I would loooen their hold over the men and until tho present
Ohiiikh succeeded hla l'uther it wan oonoiUerod unpolltio to

proas for reforraa. In 1924 HIb lOcoellenoy ohfiikJi Hamad in
conjunction with Major J)aly, who waa then iolitioal Agent, and
with tho aupport of the Government of India, took the matter
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in hand. Only a vory few of the more fur sighted marohanto,
and the *»hia and Hunni s.udis, uupportod the movement, but tho
reforma were finally puohod through mainly owing to the keen-
neoo and onergy of Major July.

The principal fontureo are uo followai-
' •• . ^ ^
The amount of the advunco and the amount of inter eat
permiaaible 18 laid down by law. Ho other ahorgoo may bo
docited uguiret a diver. Uuroiuinta and boat cuptulna arc
compelled to keep rogulur aooounto, which were made out by a
number of diving clerks who are authorioed by the Government*
*tfvery diver koepa a uiaall book iuoued by tho Government whioh
ehowo hie nocount with lua ouptain* Hoat oaptiiiiio are for*
bidden to sell the peurlu privately but muut do so in the
preoenoo/

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