Page 411 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (I)_Neat

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.jiotlior interesting point ithe increase in
the quantity of artificial silk niec. goods her*?. These
come almost entirely from Japan; and are reasonably
pood in quality, very cheap in price and attractive in
appearance• These goods have found a ready market
here and -.re particularly favoured for re-export to
the mainland of .a-abia. although for religions reasons
the wearing of pure silk roods’is®not approved thcr*
It has naturally followed that the trade in Manchestpr
cooton niece vodc has relatively suffered; and this
is an interestin'” fact to record in view of my report
on the lffcal pieoegoods market*of three years ago.
The quantities of cereals and coffee are reasonably
constant and mean that local merchants are’buying against
sal^s instead of, as heretofore, accumulating large
stocks in a speculative manner a .gainst the possible
needs of the pecrliny season. For two years there
has been no special d.I.S.N.Coy rice steamer here from
Calcutta, and the merchants1 requirements are now brought
forward bv transhipment vio Bombay.

If we compare actual receipts (as distinguished
from Bu iret Estimates) for the past two years, we shall
find:-
Comparison of receipts

Year 1350 1351.

Steamers cargoes • • • • Ks 2,73,578/- 2,94,400/-
Native craft • • • • 93,691/- 81 870/-
Parcels duty . • • 9,234/- 16,519/-
Ps 3 s e n ge r s 0 a rga ge • • 15,182/- 19,470/-
Export duty 7 • • • • 2,352/- 11913/-
2JC duty on R.E. cargo 38,052/-
Miscellaneous fees • • 9)404 /- 7~662/-
Re-export duty • • • • 2,345/-
Import: Yord charges 1,78,197/- 1,53,381/-

The above comparison of facts is interesting in
view of the fact that on the 1st Makurum 1351 (corres­
ponding with the 6th Nay 1532) the current flat rote of
Import Duty of five per cent ad valorem was changed to
seven-ond-a-half rer cent od valorem upon 0 small list
of articles which might perhaps be termed •Luxury”
imports.’
This list was compiled with the Advisor’s unprovol
after very careful consideration, working unon the prin­
ciple of doing nothing to increase the coat to the public
of food commodities. Later in the year, namely 4th
Ramodhan. 1351 (corresponding with 31st December 1932)
the rate.of seven-and-a-half per cent upon these commo­
dities was further increased to ten pur cent, except
upon alcoholic liquors and tobacco and its manufactured
products, which .were increased to fifteen per cent ad-
valorem. In regard to these increased, which were
made with considerable reluctance, it is r'ood to note
that they were accented by the mercantile'community
without any comment except perhaps a little surprise
that they had not been imposed earlier; ond, indeed,
at the present time the importers are expecting that
the rate of ten per cent ad valorem will’be applied
to imports of all kinds, as the necessity for raising