'REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY FOR THE YEAR 1904-1905' [‎119r] (13/116)

1904-1905.]
SUMMARY.
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Tiincls 5 the most marked decrease occurred in the case of suits for less than
Us. 50. A slight improvement in the duration of uncontested suits was
more than neutralised by a rise of almost 100 days in the average duration
of contested suits. Some progress was made with the disposal of appeals and
applications for the execution of decrees. A rise in the receipts of all courts
was accompanied by a much higher proportionate increase in expenditure.
21. There was a slight improvement in the progress towards disposal by
Collectors of civil courts’ decrees referred to them, hut arrears still exceed the
references of an average year. The amount of decrees settled by mutual consent
again increased as did that of remissions to debtors by their creditors. The
area of land sold inereased 3 and although the price realized per acre in some parts
of 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 extremely low the average price remained practically the
same as last year.
22. The most notable feature of the year in connection with this Act was
the working of the conciliation system in Khandesh, the number of applications
in that district alone being almost double the number of applications in the
other four districts. There was a slight increase in the number of suits instituted
in the four districts, which occurred chiefly in suits against agriculturists. The
introduction of the conciliation system into Khandesh appears to have
considerably reduced the congestion of the civil courts’ files.
28. A better harvest and a partial return to prosperity were probably
responsible for a rise of 10,000 in the number of registrations. The most notice
able feature of the returns is the steady and continuous decline in mortgages of
less than Its. 100 in value, the average yearly registration during the triennium
being 4,200 below the average. Deeds of gift, wills, and leases have all
increased, due no doubt to the uncertainty engendered by successive years of
plague and scarcity.
24. A marked decrease in the number of registrations is attributable to the
long continued severity of plague, which renders savkars less willing to advance
k money, and to the large tagavi issues of recent years, which diminish the culti
vators dependence on the money-lender. The number of deeds*of sale in Poona
and Sfitara is still very high compared with pre-famine figures, while mortgages
both with and without possession continue to decline. Taken together these
variations from the normal show that the ryots’ personal credit has suffered from
the effects of prolonged periods of scarcity and plague, and that the savkars
regard no security as safe except that of absolute possession.
# 25. There was a slight increase in the number of Joint Stock Companies
on the whole. Sixteen new Companies were started during the year, while
twelve went into liquidation. On the whole they appear to have been
well conducted.
26. Judging from the attendance at meetings and the extent to which
qualified voters exercised their rights, interest in local Government is still
very lukewarm. With their resources crippled by an unfavourable season
Local Boards could do little hut mark time. While attention to water-
supplies necessitated an increased expenditure, the income of all boards fell
by more than 4 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees and the closing balance was less by 3 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees than in the
previous year.
27. The revision of the prevailing assessments in the City, combined with
activity in the house building trade and general prosperity, resulted in a large
Execution of
decrees of
civil courts by
the Revenue
Department.
Deccan
Agriculturists’
Relief Act-
Registration
under Act III
of 1877.
Registration
under Act XVII
of 1879.
Registration
of Joint Stock
Companies.
District Boards.
Bombay
Municipality*