'REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY, FOR THE YEAR 1914-1915' [‎232v] (134/150)

Chapter V.
FINANCIAL.
Local Committees.
Changes during
the year.
Country spirit.
Foreign liquor.
Intoxicating drugs.
Opium.
Offences.
Financial results.
BOMBAY ADMINISTRATION REPORT.
cocaine
falling' off in the number of cases relating to intoxicating drugs, chiefly in respect of
^ already explained. Convictions for drunkenness and permitting drunkenness by li ca «„.
increased from 4,843 ‘o 6,386. The increase is due to the stricter inspection of countrv W
shops Two hundred and fifty cases unaer the Opium Act were brought to trial in bS
districts and 70 in Native States as against 292 and 100 cases respectively in the previ
vear The decrease may be attributed chiefly to the fact that the public have become m„!
Generally acquainted with the fact that the limit of the possession of opium has been lowered
? e,.., tolns in one tola. About 85 per cent, ot the persons brought t„
convicted.
o The localities for which advisory committees have been constituted and the'
were the same as in the previous year. The large number of closures of shon!
recorded above were made after consultation with the committees. They were also consulted
on the question of a change in the hours of sale. I here was a general consensus of opinion
in favour of making the closing hour eanier and this was carried out where circumstances
seemed to render it advisable.
2.—Sind.
1. Changes of importance in the administration wmre : (i) fixing the opening and
closing hours of foreign and country liquor shops at 9 a. m. and 10 p. m. ; (2) the temporary
closing of the foreign liquor shops at Keamari at 8 p. m. (at the instance of the Military
authorities) ; (3) the alteration of the closing hour of premises licensed for the sale of intoxi
cating drugs Irom 10 p. m. to 9 " 3 ° P- m •! ( 4 ) closure of 4] 7 shops licensed for the sale of
charas; and (5) the enhancement of the maximum and minimum selling prices of liquor manu
factured at the Kotn Distillery by annas q and 2 per gallon in the case of strong and weak
liquors respectively.
2. The consumption of country spirit fell from 213,627 to 207,912 proof gallons. The
rate of consumption per head of population was 2 , 84 drams as compared with 2'gi drams in
the previous year. The number of stills in the Government Central Distillery at Kotri was
25 (22 worm stills and 3 pot stills) as against 21 (18 worm and 3 pot stills) in the previous
year. The quantity of spirit manufactured at the distillery lor issue to licenses amounted to
'198,366 proof gallons compared with 193,701 in the previous year.
3. The total imports of foreign liquor amounted to 677,211 gallons against 761,213
gallons in the previous year. There\vas a slight decrease in the sales of fermented liquors,
wanes and liqueurs.
4. License fees for the retail sale of intoxicating drugs decreased from Rs. 2,26,04810
Rs. 2,24,558 during the year, while the total realization increased from Rs. 4,77,559 to
Rs. 4,98,871.
5. The issue of opium from Government depots amounted to 9,798 seers compared
with 9,484! seers in the preceding year and the amount realized thereon was Rs. 2,94,018
as against Rs. 2,83,213. The total consumption of opium was 0,684 seers as compared with
9,33*1 seers and the consumption per head was o , 22 of a tola as against cv21 in the year 1913-14.
The total excise opium revenue increased from Rs. 3,14,644 to Rs. 3,70,524.
6. During the year 95 cases under the abkari laws (21 relating to liquor and 74 1 °
intoxicating drugs) and 53 under the Opium Act were sent up for trial. Convictions under
the abkari laws numbered 86 while the number of persons convicted in the 53 cases under
the Opium Act was 83.
7. The gross revenue rose from Rs. 22,70,299 to Rs. 23,27,268, and the net revenue
from Rs. 22,28,362 to Rs. 22,86,730, while the total expenditure fell from Rs. 41,937 to
Rs. 40,538.
3.—Aden.
The gross receipts fell from Rs. 1,38,407 to Rs. 1,27,701. [he decrease occurred i
receipts on account of duty on imported foreign liquors. Die establishment and 0 lerco
gent charges rose slightly from Rs. 1 1,168 to Rs. 11,244. i here was no offence coram
against the abkari law during the year. The gross receipts on account ol opium rase
Rs. 2,138 to Rs. 3,940. The abnormal increase in the consumption of opium, viz., 1 .’
is due to an unusually large demand for opium by the Chinese crews ol is ^ j ,
auxiliary cruisers which visited the port frequently.
10.—Cotton Duties Act.
For details see the Resume on the working of the Cotton Duties Act contained in the
Sea-borne Trade and Customs Administration of the Bombay 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. or 191
The number of cotton mills of all sorts at w r ork 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. was [77 jp
ll YYUliV Hi LiiY, x 4 j .
167 in 1913-14. The production of woven goods rose by 4,122,564 lb. t0 222, I
Yarn fell by 31,126,483 lb. to 448,556,492 lb. The gross receipts irom cu > ckS) from
^ s - 3,36,644 to Rs. 42,31,544 and the net receipts, after deducting
Rs. 45,26,194 to Rs. 41,90,571, a decrease of Rs. 3,35>623-