"ملف 8/16 تقارير استخباراتية بشأن البحرين" [و‎‎٣] (٤٣٢/٥)

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So Brit5
Int'
Reference paragraph 133 cf my intelligence Summary
No. 23 of 1940c
Mr. S.V. Packer. Local Manager 3 Petroleum Concessions
Limited 9 Bahrain s returned from India on the 3rd January.
4 * NevV Y e ar Da y
Cn the 1st January the customary New Year visits
were paid at the Agency. Kin Highness Shaikh Sir Hamad bin
: 1sa a1 Kha1ifah, K.C
C
? Ruler of Bahrain, together
with his brothers and members of the family paid his call
at 9.20 a c mo The Shaikh expressed his pleasure at the British
successes in Libya and the successes of the Greeks, with
British help, against the Italians in Albania. His health
seems to be better this year than previously.
At 10.30 a..m 0 a Majlis v 'as held in the Agency Majlis
Room where the Arab and other notables were present and
listened to the Political Agent : s annual speech.
Ac 12 noon British and American residents paid their
visits and crank the health of the King Emperor.
The Agency flagstaff was decorated that day.
* v
5. 5 Id al P aha
? Id al Duha was observed in Bahrain on the 8th and
9th January. The Political Agent, accompanied by the
Assistant Political Agent and the Indian Assistant, paid
the customary visits to His Highness the Shaikh, the leading
members cf the Al Khalifah family and other Arab notables.
Local Af fairs
'i) Th
Pol:
question of the high rates cnar,
viz. 7 as. per unit. Those high
discontent, amongst the consumers
cal Agent has taken up with the State the
electric current -
are the cause of
and an obstacle to
-p 0 t
rates
here
others who would
like
,o enjoy the benefits of electricity.
(ii) A section of the Hindu merchants have recently been
complaining against the Food Control. A meeting was arranged
at the Customs at which the Adviser to the Bahrain Government
and the Director of Customs who is also the Food Controller
were present and the Political Agent brought the complainants
to enable them to state their difficulties on the spot. The
results though not conclusive serve to show that the Food
Control Order is not being properly observed. The matter
is being further pursued.
(iii) On che 5th January, the Political Agent visited the
local ice plant which is run by a prominent Arab merchant,
Mr. Hussein Yateem. The plant is most efficiently run with
the very minimum of expense. During winter the plant is in
charge of one man who turns out sufficient ice to meet local
demands. This is worked by a 25 k/w power plant which was
installed by Mr. Hussein Yateem after he found himself
unable to pay the excessive rates demanded by the State
Electric Department.
(iv) Khan Sahib Haji Yusuf bin Ahmad Kanoo has been very
agitated recently over the cutting off of his water connec
tions by the Manama Municipality owing to non-bayment of
water /-