Page 522 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (I)_Neat

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correspondmg decrease in the nuir.be r 01 the

oeicfieh. \j\xt ol CoZ boats whose accounts v;ere
inaae up by the uiving UlerKs 116 were oelafieh
ana 1V0 v/ere hha;.LTtanis. in a lev; years, unless
conaiticns improve, the whole diving systeia will

change ana the oeiafien systei ana its abuses
will disappear, This v.x>ula be advantageous lor
the divers^ although they wouia not appreciate

this, but possibly it would have an adverse el’feet
cn the pearl merchants.
although aivers have been severely affected
by the slump m the cearl trade in one respect

it has been beneficial. The nauhucas owing to
laci of money have willingly reduced the amount
of the advances each year, 11 times haa been

prosperous the advances wouid have remained high
ana the divers debts v.ouia nave increased.
1U. The annual advances, *hich were settled as

usual after a meeting of the leading men of the
aivintg maustry, were the same amount as the
previous year. the meeting at winch the Tesqam

ana oelal* for the new season were decided was
held during the year under review ana it was
decided that the amounts should be reduced even
lower. They were settled at Z<j/~ for a diver
end , i5/- for a puller ana the usual prociama-

tion was issued. it was thought liKeiy that the
news oi' a iurther reduction vouio cause a further
demonstration by the uivers but nothing happened

ana at the time of the payments many divers agreed
to accept less than the authorised amount rather
than be discharged with ''baruas" releasing them

to dive with other nakhudas than their own.