'File 19/126 II (C 29) Bahrain Customs' [‎21r] (55/567)

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on goods conaigned and destined for the
mainland, such goods never leaving tlie
Gustoms Mouse sheds but being re-shipped
on first opportunity on native craft. This
2ir % tax was in addition to the Ardhiya
or ground rent tax charged on all goods
lying in the Gustoms Warehouses.
That in 19 17, on the pr4te^t that the war had
greatly reduced his customs receipts,Shaikh
Isa suddenly imposed the full tax of S % on
all goods landed at the Customs Pier, whether
such were entering Bahrain or were merely
being transhipped from B.I.Steamers to
iative Graft.
That this tax was still in force.
That lejd, Hassa and ^atif merchants consider
ed it to be a grossly unfair tax and founded
on no precedent and prayed for its removal
It appears also that various similar tfomplaints were made to
the Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. in my predecessor's time, but nothing came of them,
since Bin Saud was too closely engaged, putting his own house
. , A . to take the matter
in order, not to mention his troubles with the Shareef Musain ./up
And so the matter was dropped.
S- ' Bin Saud, it would appear, has now definitely taken up
the matter himself, and quite recently wrote to Shaikn Xsa (in
letter dated 2Sth January, 1980), asking him in a friendly way
his reasons for charging Hejd ilerchants 5 ^ on *'^}lAiSMIP ,, goods,
putting such goods on a par with those entering Bahrain. Bin
Saud, further, requested that for old friendship's sake, the tax
be again reduced to 2% % as formerly existing. To this letter
Shaikh Isa returned no letter^ but later, hearing I was leaving
for Massa, asked me to sound Bin Saud on the subject. Me, at the
same time, gave me his own reasons for having imposed the tax.