Coll 30/9(2) 'Admin. Reports of the Persian Gulf - 1945 -' [‎559r] (1117/1148)

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CHAPTER V.
ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE KUWAIT POLITICAL AGENCY An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent.
FOR THE YEAR 1.939.
L—THE POLITICAL AGENCY An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. .
Personnel—(a) G. de Gamy, Esquire, M.C., held charge of the Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. till
15th May when he was relieved by Major A. C. Galloway of the Indian Political
Service.
(b) Assistant Surgeon A. L. Greenway, M.B.E., M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P.
(London), I.M.D., was in charge of the Charitable Dispensary and performed
the duties of the Quarantine Medical Officer throughout the year..
IL—THE RULING FAMILY.
(a) His Highness Shaikh Sir Ahmad al Jabir as Subah, K.C.I.E., C.S.I.,
was Ruler of Kuwait. Most of the chief administrative posts in the State are
held by members of the Subah family.
His Highness the Shaikh left for Riyadh on the 29th November on a visit to
King Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud. He returned on the 23rd December, and was given
an enthusiastic reception.
(b) Shaikh Abdulla Salim as Subah, C.I.E., cousin to the Ruler, left for
the Lebanon on the 12th July for medical treatment. He returned on the 14th
August.
(c) His Highness Shaikh Sir Ahmad’s mother died in the autumn.
III.—THE POLITICAL AGENT’S RELATIONS WITH THE SHAIKH.
The relations between the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. and the Ruler have been of a most
cordial nature.
IV.—LOCAL INTERESTS.
(a) Political .—Reference (c) of IV of the Report for 1938.
The second Kuwait Council which never met owing to the refusal of the
members to agree to a power of veto for the Shaikh was dissolved by the Shaikh
on March 7th after he had regained possession of the Arsenal. Some of the
members being reluctant to abandon the semblance of authority they had
acquired, and much encouraged by the violent broadcasting and press propa
ganda from Iraq directed against the old established order in Kuwait endea
voured to delay the handing over of certain papers and accounts of the Council
to the Shaikh. While affairs were still unsettled a Kuwaiti water carrier resi
dent in Iraq named Muhammad al Munais arrived, and harangued a crowd
and distributed leaflets declaring the ruling family deposed. The next morning
when Muhammad al Munais was being taken to prison under arrest a hoL
headed err-member of the Council, Yusuf Marzook, and another follower of the
Council party, Muhammad al Qitami, endeavoured to secure his release. There
was a scuffle and Muhammad al Qitami fired on the police, and Yusuf drew and
aimed his revolver. The police returned the fire and mortally wounded Muham
mad. Yusuf was wounded in the foot and nearby shopkeeper in the posterior.
The guard and other tribal followers of the Shaikh then immediately set up a
hullabaloo and ’threatened the crowd. Further bloodshed was only prevented
by the Shaikh with great difficulty and he was actually hit on the head by the
rifle butt of one of his own men while restraining them. He only secured
order, however, by promising the immediate trial of Muhammad Munais. A
trial was staged and Munais was convicted, sentenced to death, and imme
diately executed by shooting in the Town Main Square. This prompt action
was responsible for the speedy return to normal. Several of the agitators fled
to Iraq, but those who did not escape are still in prison in Kuwait.
(b) Customs .—A full report on the imports and exports for the year will
be found in the Kuwait Trade Report, a non-confidential publication. There is
no change in customs duty which is still 5 per cent., except for British subjects
for whom it is 4 per cent.
(c) Council .—There is an advisory council of 13 members under the pre
sidency of Shaikh Abdulla Salim as Subah. Nine of the members are notables
nominated by the Shaikh, and four are nominated members of the Subah family.
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