Page 44 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (IV)_Neat

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Apart from normal town cleaning and the upkeep of the one motor road which runs through
the town the municipality by cutting the corners of several buildings widened the main road at some
of the narrower bends. An inspection of weights and measures in the shops was carried out and the
sale of foodstuffs in the open market was supervised by the Municipal Inspector. The Government
made a grant to the Hedd Municipality of Rs. 6,ooo with which to build a new open market. The
building is to be undertaken in 1368.
The town of Hedd has a population of over 4,000 persons, it lies on a long narrow strip of land
with the sea on each side of it. The closeness of the sea to the houses is to some extent, the reason
for the town being unusually clean. There never have been any rubbish dumps in the town as all
refuse is thrown into the sea and thus quickly disposed of.

MINORS' ESTATES DEPARTMENT
(From the report of Mr. Mohomed Dowaigar, Superintendent of the Minors’ Estates Department.)
At the end of 1367 this department had been in existence for ten years. In the beginning, as in
the case of all innovations in Bahrain, the department was viewed by the public with disapproval and
suspicion, but it gradually gained the confidence of the people until eventually it received many
applications from persons who could not possibly be classed as minors requesting that the department
should take over the administration of their property.

The cost of this department, which in the past was borne entirely by the Government, has
amounted to over Rs. 1,00,000 in the last ten years. It began as a small organisation without heavy
responsibilities but as its work expanded the cost of administration increased. By 1367 it was dealing
with a great number of large and small estates and with yearly cash transactions which amounted to
over 10 lakhs of rupees.
The department is managed by a committee under the presidency of Shaikh Daij bin Hamad
Alkhalifah, who give their services freely, with a permanent staff including a Superintendent and a
number of clerks and collectors.
During 1367 the Government had discussions with the committee about making a charge on
estates towards the cost of paying for the department. It was proposed that a charge should be made
based upon the value of the estate. This suggestion was not accepted because, as the committee
pointed out, when the department was originally formed the Government agreed, and let it be known
by proclamation, that a charge would not be made against the estates which it administered. After
prolonged discussions it was agreed that the department should deduct a fee of 5 per cent not from the
capital of the estates but from interest on loans, from rents and from income which the department
collected and at the same time the Government would guarantee a fixed annual payment of Rs. 24,000
per annum towards the cost of the department until it was self supporting. The revenue collected
from rents, etc. would be set aside in a fund which would eventually be used to pay for the administra­
tion. Discussions were in progress at the end of the year about a ten-year loan from the Government
for the purpose of adding to the revenue of the department.
Much of the money which belongs to the estates which are administered by the department is
utilised for making loans to the public, the security being either gold or title deeds of immoveable
property. During 1367 Rs. 44,oc*o was recovered in interest from loans. The rate which is charged
is according to a scale, it is highest for amounts under Rs. 20,000, on which 10 per cent is collected,
decreasing as the amount of capital increases; until 5 per cent is charged for sums between Rs. 90,000
and Rs. 1,00,000.
In 1367 fifteen new estates were dealt with, their value was approximately Rs. 1,27,400. The
department collected Rs. 1,04,000 in rents and leases from 428 properties. Last year only Rs. 85,000
was collected. Four properties were sold, for Rs. 36,000, including shares of certain minors in some
houses, in this case it was considered more to the advantage of the minors to have their property

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