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Coll 6/33 'Hejaz-Nejd: Internal Administration and Constitution; Various Laws.' [179r] (359/392)
The record is made up of 1 file (193 folios). It was created in 7 Aug 1928-22 Feb 1940. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Maiestv's Government.!
3
EASTERN (Arabia) .
CONFIDENTIAL.
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d
August 14, 1928.
Section 1.
, JB 4031/4031/91]
No. 1.
Consul Bird to Sir Austen Chamberlain.—{Received August 14.)
(No. 119.)
Sir, Jeddah, July 29, 1928.
I HAVE the honour to transmit herewith a translation of the Royal decree
just issued governing the composition and functions of the Legislative Council.
2. The Viceroy is the permanent president. A permanent vice-president will
be nominated by the King, and a second vice-president will be elected by the members
of the council.
3. The number of members composing the council will be limited by Royal
decree, and the period of membership will be two years. Members must be not less
than 25 years of age, be men of education and experience and must not have been
convicted of any crime or be bankrupt.
4. The council will deal with the budgets of Government Departments and of
municipalities. All concessions, economic and financial schemes and all Government
contracts exceeding £200 will be submitted to the council, as will all questions
regarding the engagement of foreign employees.
5. The council will be divided into two committees, each of which will study
the questions referred to it and submit its recommendations to the final decision of
the council.
6. The council will meet daily. Two-thirds of the council constitute a quorum,
and decisions will follow the vote of the majority.
7. If the council reject a scheme submitted by the Government, the Viceroy
may call upon the council to reverse its decision, and, if it refuses to do so, may
refer the question to the King for final decision.
8. Where a scheme submitted by a Government Department is under discussion,
the head of the department will be present at the deliberations of the council.
9. The King has the right to dissolve the council or to make changes in the
membership at any time.
10. The most interesting clause from the point of view of the foreigner is
article (5) (i), which lays down that any Government contract exceeding £200 must be
submitted to the council. If adhered to, this decision should go far to ensure that
Government contracts are not, as has so often happened lately, the subject of
personal arrangements between members of the Government and their friends.
11. I have addressed a copy of this despatch and its enclosure to the Govern
ment of India and Singapore.
I have, &c.
F. H. W. STONEHEWER-BIRD.
Enclosure in No. 1.
Organisation of the Legislative Council.
(Translation.)
Article 1. The Legislative Council will be constituted of the number of members
to be limited by Royal decree.
Art. 2. The President of the Legislative Council is the Viceroy. A permanent
representative of the Viceroy will be appointed by His Majesty. Another repre
sentative will be chosen by the council to act in the absence of the first representative.
Art. 3. The period of membership of the Legislative Council will be two years.
Art. 4. Members in the Legislative Council must fulfil the following
conditions :—
{a.) Be not less than 25 years of age.
(5.) Be men of experience and knowledge.
(c.) Not have been condemned for any dishonouring thing and not bankrupt.
(d.) Of good conduct.
[539 o—l]
About this item
- Content
This file concerns matters relating to the administration of the Kingdom of the Hejaz and Nejd (later Saudi Arabia). It contains correspondence discussing laws and regulations passed by the Hejazi/Saudi Government.
The early part of the file (1928-1929) contains copies of translations of various royal decrees regarding the following:
- The appointment of a commission to oversee the distribution and administration of charities in the Hejaz.
- The registration of companies in the kingdom.
- The composition and functions of the Legislative Council.
This part of the file contains a significant amount of correspondence from local government officials in British India, which discusses how the regulations on the distribution and administration of charities in the Hejaz might affect Indian Muslims. It includes concerns raised by representatives of Indian Muslims in Bombay and Karachi that the Wahabi interpretation of Sharia law on the subject of charities does not coincide with Sunni and Shia interpretations.
Later correspondence discusses the reorganisation of the administration of the Hejaz in 1930 and the new designation of Ibn Saud's dominions as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in September 1932. This part of the file includes the following:
- A copy of a translation of the Hejazi constitution or 'fundamental rules' of 1926, together with copies of translations of subsequent regulations and notifications amending or superseding certain articles of the constitution.
- A copy of a translation of a royal decree marking the change of name of the Kingdom of the Hejaz and Nejd to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
- Details of various Saudi Government regulations, such as those regarding the registration of companies in Saudi Arabia and those relating to the governance of foreign residents in the country.
- Reports of the formation of the Saudi National First Aid Society in 1935.
- Details regarding the reorganisation of Saudi Arabia's Legislative Council.
The file's principal correspondents are the following: the British Agent and Consul, Jedda (Hugh Stonehewer Bird); His Majesty's Chargé d’Affaires to Jedda (Cecil Gervase Hope Gill, Albert Spencer Calvert, and Alan Charles Trott successively); His Majesty's Minister at Jedda (Sir Andrew Ryan, succeeded by Sir Reader William Bullard); officials of the Board of Trade, the Foreign Office, and the Government of India's Foreign and Political Department.
The file includes a divider which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.
- Extent and format
- 1 file (193 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the file.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 194; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 2-193; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/12/2099
- Title
- Coll 6/33 'Hejaz-Nejd: Internal Administration and Constitution; Various Laws.'
- Pages
- 179r:179v
- Author
- Government of Saudi Arabia
- Usage terms
- The copyright status is unknown. Please contact copyright@bl.uk with any information you have regarding this item.