Page 162 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (I)_Neat

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vereified, proclamations prepared and finally the title

deeds are written and copied into the registers.
Government Lands.

Another hrancg of this department is the leasing of

Government land!, mostly on the edge of Uanamah and Uuharrak,
to persons who previously occupied it with no legal right or
permission. The leases are very low, usually about Rs. 2/-
per month, and in many cases at a nominal amount of two Annas

per month, but the principle involved is important and prevents
much valuable property being lost by the State.
e
The question of the vast areas of cultivatjable ground

which are claimed by the members of the Ruling Family as their
private property, by virtue of scraps of paper recklessly
tnr
issued^Shaikh Isa gifting whole villages and the ground between
them, has not been entered into yet. The matter is a pressing

one as lately some of these persons have sold pieces of this
alleged property and others applying for registration.' If

this form of ownership is admitted about three quarters of the
land which appears to be suitable for cultivation in the Islands
will be lost. The claimants make no use of the ground but if

any of their tenants cultivate a small plot they ignore it for
a year or two and then, when the cultivation begins to yeild an

income they claim it as theirs. It would be difficult for the

Government, even with The Shaikh’s approval, to repudiate the
so-called title deeds while Shaikh Isa is alive. A possible
solution of the problem would be the imposition of a land tax
on uncultivated ground*

Land Settlement-
Four surveyors and one draftsman have been employed
for about half the year. Three of the surveyors are working

^2*] 17 an<* *laVe comP*eted the survey of the following
7or 863 ^ CUltiva*ed areas; Boori, Saar, The Baria of Tashtast

the gardens during the summer is very bad for the health