'Report on the Nushki, Chagai and Western Sinjerani Districts for the year 1897-98 and on the Development of The Quetta-Seistan [Sistan] Trade Route' [‎5v] (10/148)

6
C.— Land, Crops and Revenue.
H. The arable lands of Nushki, watered by the Kaisar stream, amount
in all to 8,658 acres, a third of which is, roughly speaking, brought under cul
tivation yearly.* The Mengals cultivate 513 acres and the Badini and
Jamaldini 1,090 and 1,151 aerts, respectively, while added to this some
1,008 acres of land are cultivated by means of Karez irrigation. These lands
should )ield the Khan, at the rate of ^th of the gross product, the following
revenue—rabi, 4,410 maunds; kharif, 3,115 maunds ; or, at the rates prevail
ing in the district during the year under review, Ks. 17,3 >0. Allowing for
allowances to the extent of Rs. 2,500, the balance actually to be cre
dited as revenue is reduced to Rs. 14,830. If the rate at which revenue is
levied is taken as Jth, as in Baluchistan, and including revenue Bhusaatthe rate
of 0-8 0 per maund, a rate which, though it may appear so, is not excessive, the
total of the Government share, leaving muafi allowances out of consideration,
comes to Rs. 30,764, or, if we allow for maoji grants, at, say, Rs. 2,500, to a
total of Rs. 28,264. It will be noted that in the preceding calculation I have
taken neither any revenue from unirrigated lands nor grazing dues into
account. The unirrigated lands of the district are both rich and extensive, and
should in average years be an important factor in the calculation of the re
venue. The matter is somewhat different as regards tirni, for any attempt to
introduce a grazing tax would at first be unpopular and be vigorously
resented. 3
12. I feel somewhat diffident in offering an opinion as to the amount of
revenue the Naib now raises, as I have not access to any records; but mv in
quiries show that the amounts paid the Khan in the years 1896 an l 1897’ was
each year something under Bs. 5,000, and I think that this information is
accurate. In this connection, it should he remembered that the Khan derives
a large proportion of this revenue (it is said as much as half the sum named)
from lauds and water which arc his personal property.
13. Around Nushki, there are extensive arable lands lying idle, due to
the fact that the ownership of them is claimed by two or more d sputants.
The area under cultivation has considerably increased during the past year,
and it will, I think, continue to do so until the limit capable of irrigation from
the water-supply is reached. Nusiiki, under a firm administration, is suscepti
ble of almost indefinite improvement. After a careful study of the resources
of the district, I have come to the conclusion that, should we ever take over
? US !, l - kl i i :? m , Khan ° n P a y rnent of a quit| rent, a revenue of
Ks. 2o,000 could he raised without ihuch difficulty. It would, of course be
impolitic to raise the revenue from the ^th, nominally levied bv the Khan’ to
the scale ol s th in vogue elsewhere iu Baluchistan. Tims, while we mi-ht
confidently anticipate that our revenue operations would be follow ed bv a
steady advance on the present revenue credited to Kalat, yet after the first L.V-e
advance, further advances would necessarily be slow and be spread over many
\ eais, »
4. it will be noted that I have hitherto omitted all mention of the v<
productive lands known as the da/:. These lands could he made to de d
handsome revenue a a little expenditure of capital. M v reason for beliovi
pl c eJ’tolscra e which I made and which I will n
refer to the rich alluvi
I was of opinion that the
In my last year’s report, I had occasion to
lands known as the dak System of postal communication used in Moghul India and later by the East India Company. , and I stated therein thnt . wo. ,
lands could he made to yield a handsome lln?, ot 0 P ln , lon that tl
i rr gallon works with'but smalloutlav Wbl^V’® CaP ‘ ta expende<1
-Pinion to test, I caused three w/toT ih" '
mam branch of the Lora river. ' The result more tlum ttmTV™
expect
* 1 ide tabulated return on page 137.
+ His Highness the Khan allows no maliJcana.
X i ide paragraph 20.
tions I had fornu
down the river be
bef'oie sufficient v
camel loads oi s
success, and to m
follow on the coi
district entertain
maintain that in <
not too much to s
ing irrigation woi
15. In acc(
Governor-Genera
question of the N
ancient division 1
Afghan pillar 15,
the Afghans, win
Khan’s sowars
Charsar to Mall
Afghans penetrat
interested himsel!
Khan’s represent!
f pinion that the i
the boundary line
The boundary
over which the K
leave to Chagai u
to that district.
16. Nushki
an unenviable re]
slaves could be pi
not too much to s
the slaves to be f(
at, or to have pas
is one that so c
requires handling
the assembled 8a
domestic slaves (*
with due rcspec
importation and t
occurred, slaves a
escape arrest, ant
17. "When
issued for my gr
Naih in suppress!
carry out these
have met with hi
At the time
did not return to
thus compelled t
much to my disa
was a nonentity
showed that it iu
from self-intere*
from him effieier
would have been