Page 180 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (III)_Neat

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grapes, limes and pawpaw are being cultivated with success. The Budcya Government garden
produced a fine crop of grapes and grape cuttings from Budcya were planted out in many other gardens
in different parts of Bahrain and were sent to the mainland. Little fresh fruit was imported from
Persia so locally grown fruit sold at high prices.
The price of animal manure rose during the year and many people collected guano from
neighbouring islands for use in gardens. Guano was sold at about Rs.ioo for a small boat load.
In some districts there was a decrease in the flow from artesian wells, owing to this garden owners
paid more attention to irrigation channels and the quantity of stagnant water was reduced which
had a beneficial effect on the anti-malaria campaign.
At one time during the year, owing to the high price of meat, many cultivators sold the bulls
which they used in their gardens for drawing water and some stock owners slaughtered milk cows.
The Government took steps to prevent this waste of cattle. The Indian cattle which were purchased
by the Government some years ago and which had not been altogether a success were sold to a
local landowner.
The restriction on the drilling of new artesian wells continued during the year though in one
case permission was granted by the Government for boring a well at Malchcih where a number of
gardens were perishing owing to lack of water, they depended upon a spring in the hills some miles
away and during the last few years the spring has become dry.
PASSPORT DEPARTMENT.
[From the report by Mr. Ibrahaim Kiialfan, Passport Officer.)
The revenue from passports was Rs.13.800, in the previous year it was Rs.8,800. Book
passports, of which the stock had become exhausted, were received in the Spring and large numbers
of these were applied for principally by Shias proposing to make the Pilgrimage to the Holy Cities
in Iraq. The prosperity in Bahrain made it possible for many people to afford this journey in spite
of the new regulation necessitating a cash deposit from persons travelling to Iraq for the pilgrimage.
Not all the people who took out book passports used them during the year but the majority of them
planned to travel early in 1364. Though the number of Shias contemplating the Pilgrimage to
Iraq increased yet there was no similar increase in the number of pilgrims to Mecca. Only one large
party, including Shaikh Ali bin Shaikh Abdulla bin Isa, did the Haj. During recent years there
has been a steady falling off in the number of Mecca pilgrims from Bahrain. This apparent lack
of enthusiasm for one of the fundamental duties of a Moslem is not on account of increased difficulties
in travelling to Mecca because many people who could not formerly afford to do so are now in a
position to bear the cost and for some years the existence of motor transport has made the journey
shorter and easier. It is a symptom of the times in Bahrain that religious observances are being
lightly regarded by the younger generation of Bahrain Arabs.
The following numbers of passengers landed at Bahrain :—

By sea (native craft) 15.365
By sea (steamers) 3.739
By air .. 1,858
Total .. 20,962

During the year 890 *' gratis ” passports were issued to members of the Ruling Family, students
and the Naim tribe.
Owing to the shortage of labour in Bahrain the Bahrain Government gave special facilities
for the landing of Persians from the Persian coast who were enlisted as labourers by the Bahrain
Petroleum Company. During the last four months of the year almost 1,000 Persians of this type
landed in Bahrain, out of this number 207 returned to Persia, 40 were waiting at the end of the year
for boats to take them back to their country and 54 left their employment and have not been traced.

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