Page 236 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (IV)_Neat

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Bahrain Arabs went to the Lebanon and to Europe. In many cases people who would previously
have gone, to India travelled westwards instead.
Over 1,350 Shias made the pilgrimage to the holy cities of Iraq, 109 persons went to Mecca.
The Government arranged facilities enabling Persians long resident in Bahrain to perform the
pilgrimage.
During 1369, 37,-100 persons landed in Bahrain, of these 27,244 came in sailing craft
and launches, 5,045 came by air and 7,111 arrived in steamers. The increase in air passengers was
partly due to the activities of the Gulf Aviation Company. A number of Persian divers were allowed
to enter Bahrain in order to dive with their Bahrain nakhudas. The authorities however had some
difficulties in ensuring that after the season these divers left Bahrain, many of them endeavoured
to obtain work on shore.
During the year 52 applications for Bahrain nationality were received, most of them being
from persons of Persian origin, of these 22 applications were accepted. Not less than ten years' resi­
dence, ownership of property and a clean police record are requisites for Bahrain nationality. In
addition to applicants for Bahrain nationality 104 Persians claimed to be Bahrain subjects by birth.
Their claims were investigated in the Bahrain Court and 39 of these persons produced satisfactory
proof that they were bom in the country.
Only 29 illegal immigrants were arrested but undoubtedly a very large number of persons
entered the country without passports. The smugglers of human bodies arc mostly nakhudas from
Qatar who land their passengers on lonely parts of the coast and then sail away. Conditions in
Bahrain continue to attract Arabs from the Trucial Coast who expect that they will find work and
make money in the country. Very large numbers of applications were also received from Indians
and Pakistanis desiring to settle in Bahrain.
In Dhil-Qaadah (August 1950) the department commenced stamping passports of all persons
leaving Bahrain with an exit stamp. This enabled the authorities to keep a better check on arrivals
and departures. Previously the passports of persons leaving the country were n>t stamped.
A new card filing system was introduced which if employed systematically will contribute much
to the efficiency of the department. The index is intended to record all arrivals and departures,
persons in transit and nature of employment of the people who have entered Bahrain.
There were 4.450 registrations of dhows and launches. Both passengers and members of the
crews were registered in order to ensure that no unauthorized persons remained behind.
An increase in the indigene population is a satisfactory symptom but the Government docs
not wish Bahrain to bcconv! overrun by people from poorer and less fortunate states who might become
a burden on the country.

JUDICIAL

(From the report of Mr. Salim Arayadh, Superintendent of the Judicial Department.)
The two Senior Oiurts dealt during the year with 979 cases which included 277 civil suits, of
which 14 were estate cases, 272 verifications of applications for registration of property and 420
criminal cases. The number of cases of all kinds showed an appreciable increase over the previous
year.

No cases of major importance were heard, the criminal cases were mostly petty theft and
contravention of the liquor arid traffic regulations. The most important civil case, which attracted
a good deal of local attention owing to the personalities who were involved in it, was the insolvency
case of Abdurrasool Tajir.