Page 45 - Belgrave Diaries 1945_Neat

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Came back before breakfast. Shaikhs came as usual & for the first time for months HH didnt allude to
Zubara, mainly because I had so many matters on the list to discuss with him, the question of Yusuf
Kanoo, who is going mad, various land matters, a big case between & Hassan b Ali & many other rr.
matters. Asked Hick if he & GP would dine with HH on Tuesday, HH giving a party for the oil
magnates. GP refused. HH didnt want to ask them but thought he had to. When discussing the matter
with HH he indicated how much he disliked them. Unfortunate but this year the Agency have laid
themselves out to a great deal of criticism both from HH, the Europeans & many Arabs.
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A cocktail party at the Agency in the evening, the American oil magnates appeared in force, among them
Fred Davies who we were very glad to see, a mixed looking collection of big business men - a Major Gee,
sent by Ryan, came back to dinner with us. He has come about a printing press, very common but quite
pleasant. He & James got on very well.

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Sunday 11th March

Busy day. Various people came in to see me. Hill & Major Gee, about acquiring a printing press, the
idea sounded attractive, then Parker for a long time, about land acquisition at Muharraq & then Ajarji to
call, returned from Hasra after a long absence during which he broke up the partnership with his brothers,
also various office people, so I got very little done except interviews. M Salih re animals, we have a herd
of 10,000 goats & sheep who will soon devour all the grazing.

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