'ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY, FOR THE YEAR 1862-63’ [‎24v] (44/266)

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FINANCE AND REVENUE.
[ Bombay']
Financial and
Commercial Legis
lation.
new and summary settlement to the holders of unadjudicated Inam lands.
The Inam holder was to pay a light quit-rent and a Nuzzurana or succession
duty. In return he was to hold his land as any other private property is held,
to enjoy the privileges of adoption and of transfer by sale or otherwise, and
to be free from all further inquiry into title. The Government of India
generally approved of the proposition, and in I860 the Principal Secietaiy
of State for India gave the sanction of Her Majesty’s Government to the
preparation of an enactment which should legalise the proposed arrange
ment. In 1861 a bill proposing such an enactment was introduced into
the Legislative Council of India, and passed a second reading. But the
India Council’s Act having come into force, the Bill, as being of a purely
local nature, was returned to be discussed in the Bombay legislature. Ihe
delay was of no practical moment, the scheme having been given effect to
by local officers in anticipation of eventual legislative sanction.
65. Act No. II. of 1863 being only adapted to take up the work of
the Inam Commission was consequently only applicable to the districts
subrect to the operation of Act XI. of 185*2, the Act
tha Country, and Khan- by virtue of whrch the Inam Commission had been
diesh. working. That Act did not apply to Guzerat and the
Concans, which had remained under Chapters IX. and X. of Regulation
XVII. of 1827, and Regulation VI. of 1833. It was therefore thought
advisable to legislate for them separately. The fifth Bill was accordingly
brought in, being passed as Act No. VII. of 1863, and extends to the
alienated landholders of Guzerat and the Concans similar advantages with
those which Act No. II. of 1863 confers on the same class of proprietors in
the districts which were subject to the provisions of Act XI. of 1852.
66. The seventh Bill is better known as the “ Cotton Frauds” Bill.
It was introduced with the view of checking the adulteration of cotton, to
inquire into which subject a Commission was appointed by Government.
The Commissioners in their report say—“ We have ascertained beyond
doubt that the adulteration of cotton is a great and growing evil; that it
has attained during the past year an extent and importance never
before reached ; that in some districts it is openly, systematically, and
universally practised ; that in Broach particularly it has been encouraged by
the withdrawal of the Government inspection at the time of shipment,
which was for many years practised there with most beneficial results; and
that the law as it now stands has utterly failed to check it.
“ It has been proved beyond a doubt that in Guzerat it has been the
custom systematically to adulterate cotton by the admixture after cleaning
of kuppas, sand, stone, and other rubbish; that in the Southern Maratha
Country, New Orleans seed cotton in its pure state is hardly ever allowed to
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