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it a condition of the designation of the Sultan's brother as heir apparent that he must leave his Indian wife and family behind him in India--a condition which might perhaps be rejected by the Sultan's brother as unacceptable..
6. However that may be, Mr. Bourdillon understood Mr. Abdul Hamid Didi to propose that an officer of the Government of Ceylon should go to Malé and talk over the whole situation with the Sultan, the Ministers and the representatives of the people, tell them that they really must put their house in order and suggest general lines on which this might be done.
7. I have now received, through the Colonial Secretary, a confidential memo- randum from Mr. Abdul Hamid Didi entitled "A resumé of a visit to Malé in April, It is an 1930." I enclose a copy for your Lordship's confidential information. interesting and remarkably candid document, and it throws a far from pleasing light on the conditions which prevail.
8. My feeling is that probably it has become necessary to send a representative to Malé, but I am not in a position, on the data at present available, to formulate, for Your Lordship's consideration, the tenor of the instructions which should be furnished to him. I will ask Mr. Abdul Hamid Didi to have another talk with the Colonial Secretary and myself in January, and I will then submit a further report. If it should be decided to send an officer to Malé for a few days, I should have to request Your Lordship to move the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to be so good as to authorize his conveyance there and back in one of His Majesty's ships.
I have, &c.,
H. J. STANLEY,”
Governor.
(Confidential.)
Enclosure in No. 4.
A RESUME OF A VISIT TO MALE IN APRIL, 1930.
I LEFT Colombo in company with the Prime Minister of the Maldives, on board the newly built Government motor vessel Fath-hus-Salam on the 14th April last
We reached Malé Harbour in 72 hours, at 11 p.m. on 17th April, 1930. The Prime Minister landed at 10.30 a.m. on the 18th, was given an official landing and accorded a salute of 11 guns. Apparently His Highness the Sultan and the people of Malé and other islanders, who had come to Malé especially for the occasion were glad to have him back after his extensive tour abroad.
His Highness the Sultan paid an official visit to the Government motor vessel Fath-hus-Salam at 3.20 p.m. on the 20th April, 1930, and I had the pleasure of welcoming His Highness the Sultan on board. He was shown round the vessel and was very much interested in all he saw.
With His Highness on board, we weighed anchor and had a short cruise round Funadu Island and along the sea front of Malé. The Sultan left the vessel at 5.30 p.m.
During the week of my stay at Malé I took the opportunity of seeing as much of Malé as I could. I talked with people of all shades of opinion and gathered valuable information bearing on different subjects affecting Maldives.
I had several interviews with His Highness the Sultan, a kinder gentleman could hardly be found anywhere. His Highness complained of the isolation with which he is kept by his Ministers and others. He told me that except on Fridays, when Ministers hold meetings to discuss State matters, they do not go to see him and consult him, that people generally are dissatisfied with the administration of Government, owing to their being kept idle. The Government is carried on practically by one man, generally by the Minister acting for the time as Chief Treasurer. That since the departure of the Prime Minister, at the end of 1928, there was constant quarrels between the Acting Chief Treasurer and the Commander of Volunteers, resulting great hardship to the people of Malé, that persons were beaten, harassed. and imprisoned without reason
or trial.
That the situation became so bad during the early part of this year that His Highness the Sultan was afraid even of his own position-which fact His Highness communicated to me in several of his letters.
I visited twice the residence of Prince Hasan Izzuddin, only son of His Highness the Sultan. On both the occasions I found him suffering from fever and he assured me that the fever has not left him for the whole of last year. He looks as if he had been sick for years and very frequently his limbs get stiff and had to be carried from his bed to other places.
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If he is able to sit, it is his invariable custom to sit whole nights singing Hindustani music with harmonium played by his father, who also spends nights awake.
The young Prince talked with me freely and told me of a vow to visit the shrine of Shahul Hamid at Nagore, and how it remains still unfulfilled, and that he is most anxious to visit the place and other parts of India, in order to get medical treatment. No respectable persons go to his residence now.
It is a pity indeed to see him in his present state of health, due undoubtedly to his fast living. His nature is such that he will not take the advice of anyone, not even his father's. The Prince asked me to help him to go to India to fulfill his vow, to consult doctors regarding hs health. I assured him that I am quite willing to do all I can for him.
Treasurer.
Administration.
Government is carried on by the Minister acting for the time being as Chief
Without consulting and obtaining authority of this official no work could be carried out.
Nominally the Chief Administrative Departments at present are:-
(a) The Treasury,
(b) The Customs,
(c) Postal,
(d) Law, and
(e) Military.
The Treasury.
The Chief of the Treasury or Bodu Baderi Manikufánu is the Prime Minister, Commander-in-Chief, Minister for Home Affairs, Director of Public Works, and Mayor of Malé.
The Customs.
The Customs is under the charge of a Principal Collector of Customs, called Farumétu Veri Sahib.
At present he is the Private Secretary to His Highness the Sultan, Chief Postmaster, Assistant Director of Public Works.
The Administration of the Customs is carried on satisfactorily. Its accounts and statistics of imports and exports are kept up to date.
Postal.
There are two Post Offices at Malé under the charge of the Chief Postmaster. This department also carries on its work fairly satisfactorily,
Law.
The Administration of law is under the charge of a Kazi called Fadiyáru Manikufánu, who is assisted by four Naibús or law officers, appointed by the Govern- ment in consultation with the Kazi and with the consent of the Sultan. Monetary cases arising between foreigners and between foreigners and Maldivians are usually heard by the Kazi, and the decision arrived at by him must be submitted for approval to the Chief Treasurer before judgment is given, and the final decision rests on the recom- mendation of the Treasurer.
The Department of Law is a very corrupt one, and in many instances, the decision rests on which party can pay most.
Executive officers as a rule do not attend their offices at regular times, though specific times are fixed for opening and closing of offices. Very frequently authority for carrying out of different works is obtained, at the homes or on the high roads, of the executive officers concerned, thereby much valuable time is being lost.
To mention one instance which came to my notice, a foreign trader applied to the Principal Collector of Customs for clearance for his bagallow to leave Malé. On the third day of his application he got clearance for his vessel to depart, which meant a loss to him of about Rs. 600/-.
The only department which has the semblance of regularity is the Customs Department.