"ملف 13/28 اتفاقية طيران الشارقة (مرافق مطار الشارقة)" [و‎‎٩‎٨] (٤٢٠/١٩٥)

PERSIAN GULF RESIDENCY
BAHRAIN,
1st March, 1949.
3)
A
14
(81/8/49)
CCNFIDENTIAL .
Sir,
I have the honour to refer to your despatch
Ko. 60(W.5729/3/802) of the 19th November, 1948, and
your telegram No. 295 of the 23rd November, 1948,
containing your instructions regarding the renewal of
the Civil Air Agreement with the Shaikh of Sharjah.
Mr. Jackson and Mr. Stobart had long conversations with
the Shaikh of Sharjah and eventually obtained from him a
letter, a translation of which I enclose. It will be seen
that he accepts all the terms of the Civil Air Agreement
and of the letter regarding facilities for the Royal
Air Force except that he asks for increases of pay for
the guards and of rent for the Rest-house.
3. The pay of the guards was originally fixed at
fis.40 per month for the head guard and 8s.20 per month for
the other guards. An allowance of Rs.5 was added in 1944
and this was increased to Rs.15 in 1946 vide this Residency
express letter No. 82-S of the 15th January, 1946, and
India Office telegram No. 8532 of the 5th May, 1946 (copies
enclosed for ready reference). Prices have risen substantially
since the last increase of pay and the Shaikh says that he
is unable to enlist men at the present rate. Guards
employed by the Royal Air Force on their own account and by
the Political Officer, Trucial Coast, are paid 8s.45 per
month and the oil company pay their guards at 8s.2 per day
for the first two years and after that at Rs.2/8/- per day.
Encouraged by this, the Shaikh has asked for Rs.80 per month
which is slightly in excess of the maximum oil company rate.
My own view is that an increase of pay is justified and that
a reasonable rate would be Ks.70 per month for a head guard
and fis.50 per month for an ordinary guard. It may be difficult,
however, to persuade the Shaikh to accept this as the oil
company pay their guards a minimum of Rs.60 per month. I
would suggest that I be authorised to negotiate with the
Shaikh on this subject and obtain the best terms possible
between the limits of 8s.80 arid Ks.65 per month for a head guard
and Bs.60 and Rs.45 per month for an ordinary guard, a suitable
proportion of the amount fixed to be described as basic pay,
and the rest as dearness allowance which would be subject to
variation on the basis of the local cost of living.
4. With regard to the rent of the Rest-house, this was
fixed at fis.300 per month in 1932. The Shaikh claims additional
rent partly because the size of the ReAst-house was doubled
in 1937 and partly owing to the rise in prices and rents
generally. The oil company for instance are paying Es.700 per
2
During my recent visit to the Trucial Coast
The Rt. Hon. Ernest Bevin, M.P.,
etc., etc., etc.,
Foreign Office,
London.
month for a
I