'Administration Reports 1925-1930' [‎89r] (182/418)

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Tne Land Registration Department has done excellent work throughout
the year and the opposition to it has now disappeared and its benefits are
appreciated. 369 transfers of property were registered as against 200 in
1926. A large number of plans and reports regarding houses, gardens, etc.,
under litigation has been supplied both to the Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. Court and the Bahrein
Court. Fifteen villages were surveyed during the year and Records of Rights
and index maps prepared for 5 villages. The Department deputed one
surveyor to Khasab for 3 months at the request of the Honourble the Political
Resident.
The year was an average one in the Pearling Industry the catch being
about 20 per cent, better than last year. As a result the diving community
had more money to spend and there was an increase in the import of piece-
goods and miscellaneous articles.
The Shalifah (Diving) Court functioned during the hot weather, but it
does not appear to have been a great success. At present its duties have been
merged in those of the Majlis al Urfi (Court for considering claims based on
mercantile usage) and a new Court called the Majlis al Tajara (Trade Council)
has been established.
The Eastern and General Syndicate bored a few more water wells and
then transferred their activities to Kuwait until December, when they re
turned to bore a few more wells for the American Mission and a merchant
named Ali Yateem. Khalil Kanoo a local merchant has imported a boring
plant and bored a few wells at a very much less cost.
The " Marina " has now been completed and was formally opened by
His Excellency Sheikh Hamad on 27th September. It extends from
al Nairn to the Government offices a distance of 1,500 yards. It is 30 feet
wide and bordered on the outer edge by a stone wall and parapet. It is much
appreciated both for its practical use and as a promenade after the close of
work during the hot weather. The sea space between the " Marina " and the
land is being reclaimed by private enterprise.
The Ruling Sheikh's official residence was also completed during the
year. It is the first building of cut stone to be erected in Manama.
A considerable amount of work has been done on the upkeep of roads,
especially between Manama and Sakhir, the Sheikh's favourite residence.
An oil store has been built by the Anglo-Persian Oil Company on the
shore about half a mile west of the town and another store is in the course of
erection by the Standard Oil Company.
In many quarters stone and mud buildings are replacing mat huts.
The Manama Municipality has done a remarkable amount of work-
Several streets in the middle of the town have been widened and many houses
and shops have been partly demolished and rebuilt in order to improve the
streets. So far from decreasing the value of the buildings affected, their
letting value has increased considerably owing to the increased trade brought
by the improvement to the road.
The Bazaar is much cleaner and less congested than at the close of last
year. It has been decided to remove the fruit and fish market from the inside
to a site on the edge of the town. A new meat market of cement and
corrugated iron is being built to replace the present insanitary section of date
palms.
Trees have been planted along the main roads and the Municipal garden
is receiving attention.
Local rules have been made regulating the number of passengers travel
ling in boats, registration of coolies A term used to describe labourers from a number of Asian countries, now considered derogatory. , extermination of dogs, free vaccination,
protection of food from flies, extermination of rats and other measures to
improve general health and general cleanliness.
In fact the Manama Municipality has proved itself to b a thoroughly
progressive body.
A Municipality under the presidency The name given to each of the three divisions of the territory of the East India Company, and later the British Raj, on the Indian subcontinent. of Sheikh Abdulla was established
in Muharraq during the year. It is subsidised by the Bahrein Government
and collects revenue from a house tax assessed at a much lower scale than that
M410(c) F&PD