Page 263 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (III)_Neat

55
GENERAL.

Victory Celebrations.—The end of the European war was celebrated in Bahrain by a public
holiday and illuminations and decorations in the streets and on public buildings. His Highness
granted an amnesty to all Bahrain subjects who were in jail, reducing their prison sentences by one
third. Many hundreds of poor people were given free meals in Manamah, Muharraq and the villages
and His Highness entertained about 400 sailors, soldiers and men of the Royal Air Force to an Arab
dinner at the Manamah palace, these included U.S.A. Transport Command, Indian troops and men
from all the various military bodies in Bahrain. About 40 sheep, served whole, were provided for
the guests and after the dinner, during which the band of the State Police played, there were tribal
dances performed by His Highness's retainers.

State Officials.—Mr. C. Dalrymplc Bclgravc, Adviser to the Government, Dr. R. H. B. Snow,
State Medical Officer and Mr. G. W. R. Smith, Director of Customs, all took leave in the United King­
dom during the year.
Mr. F. J. Wakelin, of the British Council, who held the appointment of Director of Education
in Bahrain for the last four years, left at the end of the school term after completing four years’
service in Bahrain. His successor Mr. 1<. M. Willey, arrived in Bahrain in Jamad-Al-Thany, 1364
(June 1945) but left owing to ill-health a short time afterwards.

Mr. G. E. Hutchings completed his service with the Government and went on leave to England
pending retirement. Mr. Hutchings was appointed Principal of the Government Technical School in
1941 and at times acted as Government Oil Inspector.

Miss D. Ellson, Nursing Sister at the Government Hospital resigned on the grounds of ill-health.
Khan Sahib Mohamed Jaffar, Superintendent of the Public Works Department, went on leave,
to India from whence he did not return.
In the New Year Honours of 1945 Mrs. Dalrymplc Belgrave, Directress of Female Education
received the Silver Kaiser-i-Hind Medal.

Bahrain Broadcasting Station.—The Bahrain Broadcasting Station closed down after the
end of the war.

His Highness’s Visit to Arabia.—At the end of the year His Highness, with a number of the
Ruling Family, went on a hunting trip to the mainland of Saudi Arabia. His Highness spent about
three weeks in the desert.

Obituary.

The death occurred of Abdulla bin Ali-al-Zaid one time editor of the weekly paper Al Bahrain
and proprietor of the local printing press.