'REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY FOR THE YEAR 1904-1905' [‎118v] (12/116)

Vagrants.
Wild animals and
snakes.
Chemical
analyses.
Criminal justice.
Prisons, civil
and criminal.
Civil justice*
vi
BOMBAY ADMINISTRATION REPORT.
£ 19o 4-1905 (
jjOjjSOS-]
200 among the Mofussil and Hallway Police. A. gratifying increase is nottyj
in the number of rewards. AH the districts were represented in the President
competition shooting and satisfactory improvement was shown. There w as ,
slight improvement in the percentage of convictions obtained in cases dealt
with by the Police, both Mofussil and Bombay City, more especially so in Ca8es
of murder, dacoity and robbery. The value of stolen property slightly decreased,
while that of property recovered showed a little improvement. The number of
undetected oases showed a satisfactory decrease.
15. The total number of vagrants, dealt with by the work-houses, fell t 0
115, of whom one was a female, and there was a corresponding decrease i 0
expenditure.
16. Although fewer people were killed by wild animals, a larger numbei
died as the result of snake-bite in the year under report. A considerable
increase also took place in the mortality amongst cattle. The number of
animals destroyed and the amount paid as rewards both decreased considerably,
A large number of new licenses were granted to agriculturists.
17 . The number of chemical analyses increased somewhat. In 204 cases
of suspected human poisoning, poison was actually detected in 91 cases. Out
of 286 samples of water analysed, 113 were classed as had.
18. Two new judicial districts were constituted during the year. There
was a considerable increase in the number of offences reported, notably of
criminal force and assault, but the number of thefts decreased considerably. Tire
percentage of convictions showed a slight increase over the figure of the previous
year, while the percentage of cases returned as true fell a little. Bombay was
the most, and Ratnagiri the least, criminal district. The number of persons
tried summarily again increased, as did the number of youthful offenders dealt
with under Section 31 of Act VIII of 1897. Punishments by fine increased,!
but those by imprisonment and whipping declined.
19. On the whole the number of persons confined in prisons of all kinds
showed a slight fall, although the failure of the monsoon in Northern Gujarat
and the free application of the provisions of Chapter VIII of the Criminal
Procedure Codes and an increase in the number of convictions for cifences
against the A'bkari Act in Khandesh swelled the number at Ahmedabad and
Dhulia respectively. Stricter supervision and discipline caused a substantial
rise in the number of punishments inflicted on prisoners, which were, however,
chiefly minor. Solitary confinement was more freely resorted to, hut tk
application of this disciplinary measure was limited by the small number of cells
available. The new system of marks appears to have had a salutary effect on
the conduct of prisoners, as nearly 99 per cent, of the prisoners who might bave
been released under the system, if of average good conduct, were so released,
Both the cash earnings of prisoners and the actual cash profits increased
largely. Notwithstanding a lower daily average of prisoners, the number of
admissions to hospital sensibly increased. The season was on the whole
unhealthy and there seems. no reason to suspect any less apparent cause. &
none of the prisons were there any serious epidemics, and their immunity ho 111
plague and small-pox is worthy of remark.
20. A very large decrease in the number of suits instituted was due parf)
to the introduction of the conciliation system under the Deccan Agriculturists
Belief Act into Khandesh and partly to plague and agricultural depressi^j
Although there was an almost general decrease in the number of suits ol a
50. A
than n
Us,
more
plicati oriS j
21.
Collectors of
K ie«ii« esot8
lie aofi< S °
C 1 (he P resl ® e
0 V as last ye
22, Th e
the worlds 01
j n that district
ofer four disk
in the four disi
introduction c
considerably r(
23. Abe
res
able feature of
less than Es. 1
king 1,200 1
increased, due
plague and sea
24 Am
vators depend
and Sdtara is i
both with anc
variations fror
tbe effects of
rfigard no seen
* 25. The
on the whole.
we dconducte
20. Jud
qualified vote
Ter J hikewar
^cal Boards
Applies nece
Wthai
previous yeai
2?. Th
actm >yinti