Page 137 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (IV)_Neat

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against the Royal Navy and lost to the U.S. Navy by 92 points. In March as many men as were available
went on a route march in the south of Bahrain Island camping out for four nights. Mounted patrols
by the horse and camel sections were kept up and the sea patrol, based on Sitra, was maintained. The
decrease in pilfering from ships’ cargoes was probably due, to some extent, to the presence of a police
patrol launch in and around Sitra harbour.
Pay.—From 1st Muharram, 1368, a new scale of pay was introduced, police pay was increased
to the following amount:—
Basic Pay .. Rs. 78 p.m.
Ration Allowance Rs. 40 p.m.
Total Rs. 118 p.m.

Good Conduct Pay, Rs. 2 p.m., Annual Increment, Rs. 2 p.m. for each year’s service up to 8 years, thus
bringing the maximum pay of a constable up to Rs. 137 p.m.
A Police Provident Fund was started at the beginning of the year, each N.C.O. and man contributing
one anna for each rupee of his basic pay, a similar sum being contributed by the Government, The
balance of the Provident Fund at the end of the year, including the Government’s initial payment on account
of past service, was Rs. 1,26,554.
The Police Fund at the end of the year amounted to Rs. 11,541, from this account loans are made
to the police for repairing houses, marriage expenses, wives’ confinements, and certain monthly payments i
are made to the children of policemen who died in the service of the State.
The sum of Rs. 4,014, was collected from police and naturs on account of diving debts. During
the year 8 men completed the repayment of their debts to nakhudas. There arc still 42 policemen and
naturs who are indebted to diving nakhudas for a sum of approximately Rs. 10,000. Deductions arc made
at the rate of 10 per cent, of the monthly basic pay.
Prisoners.—The number of prisoners received during the year in jail was 223. Over the last 5
years the average number of prisoners received in a year was 232. If the population of the country is
taken into consideration ; it is now estimated at being about 106,000, it will be seen that the prevalence
of crime is extremely low. Two Europeans were confined in the Fort Jail, one a German, the other an
Englishman, the former served a sentence for entering Bahrain without a passport and the latter was
convicted in Kuwait, of criminal breach of trust. European prisoners in the jail present a difficult problem,
there is only one suitable room for their accommodation and no arrangements for European prisoners’
food, so they arc fed from the officers’ mess.
Rations and Stores.—Flour was bought from the Food Control Department, other food
supplies, ghee, rice, etc., were purchased from the bazaar; 737 rations were issued to police on outpost
duty and 445 rations were issued to naturs. There was no change in the scale of rations. General stores,
imported from the United Kingdom, included scarlet turban cloth, handcuffs, woollen jerseys for police
and prisoners, sports goods, whistles and Very Lights.