Page 326 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (IV)_Neat

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Although there was an increase of Rs. 2,000 in house tax collections and of Rs. 6,000 from shop
taxes, yet a number of houses in Muharraq were vacant during the year. In 1369 there were 270
houses and 212 shops unoccupied, in 1370 there were 228 houses and 13*1 shops unoccupied. No
taxes are paid for unoccupied premises.
Rents of municipal property were reassessed with a consequent increase of Rs. 4,000.
Expenditure amounted to Rs. 1.95.160, it was less than the estimated figure by Rs. 18,540
but it exceeded last year's expenditure by Rs. 67,700. The largest items of expenditure were on road
repairs and transport, Rs. 56.142 ; municipal staff, Rs. 50,507 and road widening Rs. 45,456. Three
houses were bought for the purpose of widening the principal road which runs through the centre of
the town. Payments for these properties amounted to Rs. 28,356, approximately Rs. 17,000 was
paid as compensation to other owners part of whose houses were demolished.
Land Sales.—An area of land on the north of the town was divided into building plots and
offered for sale to the public, two wide new roads, constructed by the Public Works Department in­
tersected this land. Sixteen of the 42 plots were sold during the year for Rs. 42,455. Part of the
payments for the land had not yet been received at the end of the year.

General.—Municipal property was revalued, its assessed value is Rs. 3,31,850.
Old weights in shops were taken over by the municipality and new weights were issued to
replace them.
Mr. Ibrahim Khalfan, the Municipal Secretary, spent some months in England during the
year studying municipal administration.
In the days when the pearl industry was flourishing Muharraq was a more important town
than Manamah. It contained the houses of the Ruling Family and the offices of the pearl dealers
and most of the important Arabs lived there. Today conditions have changed, Manamah has attract­
ed to it many of the Muharraq merchants who have transferred their business to the capital. Mana­
mah is the commercial centre of Bahrain and is rapidly increasing in size and importance, at the
expense of Muharraq. This course of events is resented in Muharraq, especially by the landowners.
The general feeling is voiced by the municipal council which feels that more attention is being paid to
Manamah than to Muharraq. This is certainly the case, but it is inevitable.

HEDD MUNICIPALITY

Statement of Revenue and Expenditure, 1370.
Revenue. Expenditure.
Rs. a. p. Rs. a. p.
Government Grant 6,750 0 0 Staff Salaries .. 5.451 3 0
House Tax 2,573 n 0 Town cleaning 6,060 4 o
Shop Tax 860 10 9 Miscellaneous 183 9 0
Vegetable Market 796 14 9 Pauper Burials 324 o 0
Construction Fees 240 0 0 Office Expenses 338 0 0
Miscellaneous .. 377 0 0 Widening of Roads 143 0 0
Transport 66 8 0
11.598 4 6
Deficit 968 3 6
Total Rs. 12,566 8 0 Total Rs. 12,566 8 0
The revenue in 1370 was Rs. 11,598. slightly higher than in 1369. The main source of revenue
is the Government subsidy which during the year was raised from Rs. 500 per month to Rs. 750 per
month.
Some improvements were effected by widening the one road which runs through the town,
this was done at small eQSt to the municipality. The town continued to be clean and well kept,