'REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY FOR THE YEAR 1903-1904' [‎82r] (51/112)

1903-1904.]
CIVIL JUSTICE.
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average numla
237, giving a „
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ed fatally, Qi
is into hospitij
to 66 in 1903,
stice—appended fc
; civil courts.
;o 182,971,65;
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ed slightly to.
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1 amount recoff:
Sales of im® 1
ned in execute
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jjected.
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27
The total area of land sold in satisfaction of decrees was 16,915 acres bearing an assess
ment of Rs. 26,475, and the prices realised totalled Rs. 6,45,707, or 24 times the assessment.
In the previous year only 21 times the assessment was realised and the inference is that debtors
have not lost their land so cheaply. The rise is however confined to 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, the
Sind figures being stationary.
3.—Dekkhan Agriculturists' Relief Act.
*
1. There was a decrease of 1,675 from 15,188 to 13,513 in the total number of suits
instituted. The greatest decrease was in the Ahmednagar District (1,182); Shoiapur (421)
and Sdldra (241) also show decreases, while Poona shows an increase of 169. Of these suits
7,738 or 57’3 per cent, were under Chapter II. The number of suits against agriculturists was
almost equal to that of those against non-agriculturists. The proportion of ex parte decisions
in suits against agriculturists was 1*7 per cent.: in 14 per cent, of the cases the agriculturists
admitted the claims made against them, while they contested 44*4 per cent. In 60 per cent,
of the cases the defendants w r ere examined in accordance with the provisions of the Act. In
44 per cent, inquiry was made into the past history of the transactions, with the result that in
suits on mortgage-bonds the claims were reduced by about 19 per cent., and in cases of simple
bonds by about 35 per cent. Putting aside rejections, withdrawals and dismissals there were
285 redemption suits under Chapter II, in which redemption was allowed.
2. The average duration of contested suits rose from 133 to 159 days and that of uncontested
suits from 79 to. 94 days. -The increase is due to the interruption of business by plague. The
average cost of litigation for a claim of Rs. 100 was Rs. 16-3-4 in suits against non-agriculturists
and Rs. 10-6-6 in suits against agriculturists, while in redemption suits the average was Rs. 8-1-3.
The number of darkhasts (17,248) filed during the year shows a decrease of 12*1 percent.
Satisfaction in full or part was obtained in 33*6 per cent., while the remaining 66*4 per cent,
proved infructuous. The sum recovered with and without the issue of process was Rs. 2.80,931,
or Rs, 15,546 more than in the previous year. There were 148 applications for the attachment
of standing crops, out of which 114 were disposed of, the proportion of successful applications
being 63‘1 per cent, against 66 per cent, in 1902. These cases were mostly settled by
compromise and there^were sales in 8 cases only.
3. At the end of the year there were 92 Village Munsifs. They/disposed of 3,555 suits,
or 1,124 less than in the previous year. Ex parte decisions were given in 8 per cent, of the
cases, while 651 cases were contested. The number of conciliators rose to 256. They received
29,553 applications or 1,642 more than in the previous year. Ninety-six of them were invested
during the year with special powers to compel attendance. Where both parties appeared
agreements were effected in 73 per cent, of the cases. Claims of the value of Rs. 6,58,830 were
settled for Rs. 5,49,4b7, showing an abatement of 16*6 per cent. The provisions of the Act
relating to Village Munsifs and to conciliators were during the year extended to the Khandesh
District, but not enough work was done to enable any estimate of the effect of the measure to
be made.
4. The registration figures show a further tendency to decrease in agriculturists'
indebtedness. There- was a decrease of 6*2 per cent, in the number of all kinds of instruments
registered and one of 4*6 per cent, in their value. The value of mortgage-deeds registered
shows a^ decrease of nearly Rs. 3 l&khs from the figures of the previous year and one of
Rs. 42 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees from those of the famine year of 1897. Similarly the value of simple money bonds
shows a decrease of Rs. lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees from the figures of 1902 and one of Rs. 14 Ukhs from the
figures of 1897. The decrease in mortgage-deeds is attributable to the good season, while that
in money-bonds is partly at least explained by the large amount of tagai distributed in recent
years. Sale-deeds, however, increased slightly in value in Poona and Ahmednagar, while the
figures for Khandesh as to sale-deeds of Rs. 100 and over in value show an increase of
over Rs. 6 l&khs as compared with 1902.
8. Registration.
r de * ai A ls / e . e A ? nu . al R ®P ort on Registration for 1903-1904 and tables under IX.—Registration—appended to tt
Judicial and Administrative Statistics of British India.
1.—Registration under Act III of 1377.
1. The total number of registrations fell from 166,092 to 161,593, the principal decreases
occurring m Belgaum, Dh^rwdr and Shoiapur. The decrease is attributable to the prevalence
of plague and the recovery of the ryots from the effects of past bad seasons combined with the
liberal distribution of tagai. In 18, however, of the 28 districts slight increases took place.
The number of sale-deeds increased by 5 per cent, to 53,000. The increase was chiefly in the
Kh^ndesh District where the introduction of the Dekkhan Agriculturists' Relief Act alarmed
the sowkdrs. In mortgages of Rs. 100 and upwards there was a further decline both in
number and value. These documents have fallen from an average of 64,000 in number and of
Rs. 340 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees in value for the ten years ending in 1899 to 42,000 in number and Rs. 245
lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees m value. 2
2. The aggregate value of all transactions rose from Rs. 869 Mkhs to Rs. 886 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees .
Ihe average value of each transaction showed a further rise from Rs. 528 to Rs, 548.
Chap. III.
PROTECTIOTT-
Suits.
Details of working.
Mnnsifs and
conciliators.
Registration figures.
Number of deeds
registered.
Value of deeds
registered.