Coll 30/9 'Persian Gulf: Administration Reports 1926-1938' [‎313v] (631/1028)

38
For the last year and a half the burden of administering the State has fallen
chiefly on Saiyid Said who has been confronted with not a few difficulties in the
overcoming of which he—notwithstanding his youthful age of 22—has shown
qualities of patience, tact and firmness. He seems to have a bent for finance
and economy with considering the financial difficulties with which the State
in common with all other countries—is confronted, should prove most useful
12. Saiyid Nadir bin Faisal, His Highness’s brother, continued to take no
active part in State affairs throughout the year but has been present on State
occasions. •
13. Council of Ministers. —The composition of the Council during the year
was as follows :—
14. President—Saiyid Said bin Taimur.
15. The other members were :—
Finance Minister—Mr. S. E. Hedgcock up the 30th June when he left. The
post remained vacant to the end of the year and the duties were carried on by the
President with the advice of 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. .
During the 6 months that Mr. Hedgcock remained at Muscat he reformed the
system of accounts and put the finances of the State on a sounder basis.
16. Mr. B. S. Thomas, O.B.E., whose whereabouts were unkown when the last
report was submitted returned to Muscat via Dohah and Bahrein on the 6th March
1931 after having crossed the Ruba-al-Khali. He left for the United Kingdom
on the 14th March 1931,
17. Minister of Justice.—Shaikh Zubair held this appointment throughout
the year.
18. Finance. —The serious financial situation of the State at the end of 1930
was indicated in paragraph 15 of last year's Report. During the course of 1931
economies were effected in all branches of the administration and the surplus on
the year’s working came to Rs. 42,835. During the year Rs. 40,000 were paid
towards the Government of India loan, and the remainder of this loan will be
liquidated in the course of 1932. Debts due to merchants will be paid off in 1933-
34. If conditions are reasonably favourable the State should be completely solvent
by the beginning of 1935.
Considering the world wide trade depression which has of course affected
Muscat most adversely, and particularly the fact that by its foreign treaties the
Musat State is unable, like other governments, to increase its taxes on its principal
source of revenue, i.e., Customs dues on imports which still remain at the very low
figure of 5 per cent, (though negotiations are in progress to change this state of
affairs), the present financial condition of the State can be considered as satisfactory.
19. Sur. —The improvement in the general conditions at Sur described in last
year s Report was continued in r931. During the summer Saiyid Said paid several
visits to Sur,^ and with the support of the officiating 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 helped
by the fact that his visits were made in H. M. sloops thus creating a good moral
effect, succeeded in establishing more or less complete administrative and Customs
control over Sur, that is to say over the Jenebeh elements of the town, which result
ed in a continuance of law and order and in a distinct rise in the Customs collections
for the year. Inspite of Shaikh Ali-al-Hamudah, the Chief of the Bani Bu Ah,
v\ ho had the effrontery to forbid the building of a new Customs House in Sur, this
building was erected on a suitable site opposite Aiqa. The Bani Bu Ah elements
in Aiqa, however, instigated by Shaikh Ah, remained intransigent, refused to pay
( ustoms dues, and on the occasion of a visit to Sur by Saiyid Said, accompamed by
the officiating 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. , in October, refused to obey his orders to meet him
for a discussion.
20. This brought matters to a head, and as immediate action the “ A1 Saidi ”,
the State gun-boat, was authorised to put to sea and intercept such Aiqa dhows
as she could find, some of which were at that time returning from Basrah. One
dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. wras duly intercepted and brought into Muscat.
21. It was realised, however, that much more serious steps might have to be
taken before the Aiqa question could be successfully solved. This question had
inueed become a first-class issue as far as the State was concerned both from the