"ملف 19/175 البحرين - تجارة اللؤلؤ" [و‎‎٣‎٩] (٨٣/٧٦)

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presence of not len. th^n tnree of the divere. -hen a dxver
dice hie children are not ^ade to take orer hie debt, ana axve
for hie captain, the debt becomee an ordinary one a^inet the
eatate.
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These, aiid various other rules, have greatly improved
| tae diving conuitions. ^-Ithou.jh m*a who have been divin 6 lor
' a luiv, time are still hopelessly indebted to their captains,
and -rill remain so until they die. the new generation of
divers are no longer in the position of slaves, .reviously
a diver had no redress 1118 Oapt^iii, a court existea,
but it consisted of boat captains and its reputation was
notorious. -^era now realise when tuey are cheated, and
appeal to trie courts when they find that the diving rules are
njt be in,j carried out by tneir employers.
There still remaina an influential party of merchants
and captains who bitterly resent the improved conditions and
who continually try to upset and evade them. ■ he strictest
supervision is ridded by the Government and the Courts tc
prevent a return to tne previous state.