'REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY, FOR THE YEAR 1914-1915' [‎176v] (22/150)

xiv
BOMBAY ADMINISTRATION REPORT.
Land revenue.
Sea customs :
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.
Sind.
Land customs.
Salt:
Presiviency proper.
Sind.
Aden.
Office issued these coins freely, they did not go to a premium. On Au
Government prohibited the free issue of sovereigns to the public, the m f ^
effect of which was a rise in the rupee price of the sovereign thro Jo
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. . In Bombay City the quotation for a sovereign by the end of 7 ^
was Rs. 15-10-0. From that period it dropped rapidly, falling to R s .
which level it remained during the closing months of the year under repof' T f
total absorption of gold coin during the year amounted to £ 2 miHi ons £
compared with millions in the previous year and m iiij ons in S ^
The net absorption of silver rose from Rs. 404-86 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees to Rs. 458-98
This heavy increase was due to the large issues of coin from district treasum
that occurred in August and September in order to meet withdrawals froni tp
Post Office Savings Bank and the demand for silver in exchange for notes The
popularity of the nickel one-anna piece continues to affect the circulation of sinde
pice. New copper coin is nevertheless still in demand for distribution among the
poor at marriages and festivals.
44. The favourable nature of the season is reflected in the aggregate actual
demand of land revenue which exceeded last year’s high figure by R s . j-o
and amounted to Rs. 4-56 crores. Large collections of arrears in Sholapurand
Bijapur where there was scarcity in the previous year helped to swell the total,
Collections amounted to over 99 per cent, of the demand and were even better
than in the previous year. Seven districts had arrears of less than Rs. 100 each
at the end of the year. The total unauthorized arrears at the end of the revenue
year amounted to little more than Rs. 2 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees .
45. Asa result of the decrease in imports brought about by the war the
gross receipts from import duty fell by 6} per cent, to Rs. 3-27 crores. The
ratio of expenditure to net receipts was 3-7 per cent. There was a further marked
advance in the value of goods bonded at the public warehouse, The number
of cases adjudicated under the Sea Customs Act decreased by 10 percent, and
the amount of fines and penalties imposed decreased accordingly. The preventive
staff was instrumental in detecting two important cases of attempted cocaine
smuggling. A small increase was recorded in the receipts of the continental ports.
The net receipts in Sind fell even more heavily, the decrease amounting to
26 per cent.
An increase of about 10 per cent, in the receipts on the Portuguese frontier
was counterbalanced by an almost equal decrease in those on the Kathiawar
frontier.
46. The gross revenue of the Salt Department in the 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
advanced from Rs. 127-6 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees to Rs. 143-8 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees and the expenditure from
Rs. 21-17 Idkhs to Rs. 21-69 Idkhs, owing principally to the fact that some of
last year’s bills were paid off during the year under report. The total amount of
salt produced increased by about 8 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees of maunds. The total amount of salt
issued and importedfor consumption rose by ij lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees of maunds. Priceslemaine
about the same as in the previous year. There was a slight decrease m ,
number of offences against the salt law.
The production of salt in Sind was the lowest on record since 1906-7 oving
to the abnormal rainfall and to a strike among the salt workers. Prices remai ^
high owing to the existence of a ring among the contractors. Fxpen 1
continued to decline, but there was a slight increase in the gross receipt 3 '
The salt revenue increased by over 100 per cent, owing to the credit g
Imperial revenue of one-fourth of the royalty recovered between 1 9 11 a ^ ,
on salt exported from the Italian salt-works and to considerably increase
from the Arab salt pans and from Lalji’s salt-works.