‘REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY, FOR THE YEAR 1887-88’ [‎142v] (291/531)

Chap V-
192
BOMBAY ADMINISTRATION REPORT.
[1887-88,
FINANCIAL
REVIEW.
Expenditure.
General organization.
Strength of the
Departraen t.
General features
administration.
year: they included the pass-duty on opiuin consumed in British territory, two-thirds of
the pass-duty on opium consumed in Kathiawar and Cutch, and four-fifths of the pass-duty
on opium supplied to other Native Chiefs except those in the Rewa Kantha, Mahi Kantha
Palanpur and Cambay. These last-mentioned States were entitled to receive opium free of
duty, while Baroda consumed the opium grown in its own territory without payment of any
duty to Government.
The expenditure on account of a portion of the opium establishment employed in
Bombay and that employed at the Ahmedabad Opium Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. , which is debited to Imperial
Services under the head “ Opium,” amounted to Rs. 24,701 against Rs. 24,722 in the previous
year. The provincial expenditure on the Opium Department, which is inseparable from
that pertaining to A'bkari, may be estimated approximately at Rs. 30,000.
Salt.
Presidency The name given to each of the three divisions of the territory of the East India Company, and later the British Raj, on the Indian subcontinent. Proper.
The following important changes aiming at economy were made during the year in the
general organization of the Department, in pursuance of the recommendations of the Finance
Committee:—(1) The appointment of Deputy Collector, N. D., was abolished, and his office
establishment consisting of 6 superior and 7 inferior servants was transferred intact to the
Assistant Collector of Salt Revenue, Northern Frontier, the establishment of the latter
officer being reduced; (2) the Alibag and Uran Ranges were amalgamated, one Third Grade
Assistant Collectorship being abolished, and the office establishment of the Alibag Range,
with the exception of an English clerk on Rs. 30 who was added to the Ilran Assistants
office, being reduced; (3) the appointment of Supernumerary Assistant Collector was also
abolished; (4) three Coast Guard Inspectorships were abolished, and their boats’ crews and
the Bhiwndi guard boat establishment were reduced. In connection with these changes
an Inspector on Rs. 75 was added to the sanctioned strength of the Frontier Line in lieu of
a Coast Guard Inspector, and the Commissioner was authorized to employ special detectives
at a cost not exceeding Rs. 250 per mensem. The net result of the changes mentioned was
a reduction of 60 hands in the strength and of Rs. 2,760 per mensem in the cost of the
establishment.
Besides the foregoing the following changes were made in the subordinate establish
ments:—(1) the fish-curing yards at Kusamba and Vesawa having been closed, 8 hands
were reduced and a saving of Rs. 78 per mensem was effected; (2) the establishment at the
Bulsar Salt Works was reduced by 3 hands and a saving of Rs. 26-8-0 per mensem effected
(3) an establishment of 10 peons was sanctioned, at a total cost of Rs. 85 a month, to guard
the Jal Mahal Salt Work in the Bassein Taluka; (4) the entertainment of 11 additional
hands costing Rs. 35 a month in anticipation of the re-arrangement and extension of the
Sanikatta Salt Works was sanctioned ; (5) an establishment of 8 hands costing Rs. 90 a
month was sanctioned for the new fish-curing yards at Palvodem and Morgim in Goa
territory.
Taken together the changes detailed in the preceding paragraphs resulted in a reduction
of 42 hands in the strength and of Rs. 2,654 per mensem in the cost of the sanctioned
establishment, which was on the 31st March 1888 composed as follows:—
Collector
1
Deputy Collector ...
1
Assistant Collectors
• ••
H
Supervisor, Uran Distilleries...
• • •
1
Assistant do. . ■ ...
• • •
1
Superintendents of Salt Depdts
• • •
6
Coast Guard Inspectors ... ...
• • •
14
Northern Frontier and other Inspectors...
• • •
22
Sarkarkuns, including Special Officer, Cambay
Officers in charge of Preventive Stations, including
Chendni
33
Bandar
• • •
9
Darogas
• ••
8
English Writers, including Gaugers
11 •
80
Karkuns, including Sazedars and Bandar Karkuns ...
• ••
630
Risaldars ... ,,, ... ...
3
Savars...
• ••
110
Petty officers
...
364
Sepoys Term used in English to refer to an Indian infantryman. Carries some derogatory connotations as sometimes used as a means of othering and emphasising race, colour, origins, or rank. ...
3,778
Khalasis Used by the British officials to refer to a non-European labourer, especially one employed on a ship. , watermen and menials
452
Total ... 5,524
The most important event in the year’s administration was an increase in the rate of
salt duty from Rs. 2 to Rs. 2-8 from the 19th January 1888. The conventions with Cambay
and Janjira continued to work harmoniously during the year. It was decided that 6
i awab of Janjira’s port of Jafrabad was no longer to be treated as a Customs port. ^ ®
ush-curing yard in existence was that at Vengurla, which still failed to support i se
a xough it gained in popularity and promised to be a success. Experience has shown i °
e unnecessary that it should be kept open for more than six months in the year, an
cos 1 0 * ■ maintenance will thus be much reduced in future. The transactions at ama
unt er the Anglo-Portuguese Treaty are now confined to the issue of salt to the Portugue o