'File 18/54 I (A 89) Muscat Order in Council: new regulations' [‎6r] (17/396)

Tt is hardly necessary to say that" no municipalities or general
conservancy arrangements exist in Muscat or Matrah ; on the other hand
no rates or taxes (except customs duties) are levied ; thus such conser
vancy arrangements as do exist devolve upon householders and tenants
in accordance with local usage and occasional orders by His Highness
the Sultan.
The second draft regulation was also included in Major Sadler's draft
regulation of 1st January 1895. The clause relating to penalties has
been added by me to Major Sadler's draft.
The third draft regulation deals with probate and administration of
estates. Clause 1, referring to the reports of deaths within 48 hours,
has long been in force here, and was embodied in Major Sadler's draft
regulations. The remainder of the draft regulation has been added by
me with a view to ensuring the better administration of the estates of
British Indian subjects, a large number of whom reside in Muscat and
Matrah. The draft Clauses II., I\ T ., V., and VI., have been adapted
from the u Persian Coast and Islands Order in Council A regulation issued by the sovereign of the United Kingdom on the advice of the Privy Council. " as being in my
opinion suitable to this part of the world ; as regards Clause VII., court
fees in ordinary suits have been levied on the scale of the " Indian
Court Fees Act of 1870," for many years past by rule of Court, and as
practically all the estates to be administered are those of British Indians,
it seems advisable that the fees for probate, &c., should be levied on the
same scale, and that the " Indian Succession Act, 1865," and the
" Indian Probate and Administration Act, 1881," should be used as a
guide to procedure, &c., by the Consul.
Should, however, the draft regulations dated 1st January 1895 have
been submitted and approved, and should it be considered undesirable
to amend them in the manner I now venture to suggest, I respectfully
request that I may be furnished with a copy of the approved regulations
for record in this Office.
I have, (S:c.,
A. P. Trevor , Major,
The Right Hon. His Britannic Majesty's Consul, Muscat.
Sir Edward Grey, Bart., M.P.,
&c., &c., &c.
Annex 4.
Notice.
From Turki bin Saeed, Sultan of Muscat, to whomsoever may peruse
this, to wit:—
It is incumbent on everyone who has a house or shop to clean the
portion of the road in front of the same and to remove the rubbish, and
whoever fails to do so will be liable to pay the cost of the work, which
will then be performed by the order of the local authorities.
In like manner in the case of any wall of a building which shows
signs of decay it is incumbent on the owner to repair the same to avoid
injury to the passers by, and in order that no opportunity be afforded for
the accumulation of refuse matter.
In case of disobedience to this order the dangerous wall will be
pulled down by the order of the local authorities, who will then allow
the expropriation of the materials of the same, and the owner shall have
no ground for complaint.
Let this be known and salaam.
Dated at Muscat the 27th Rabi-ul-Akhir 1305 (12th January 1888).