'REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY, FOR THE YEAR 1907-1908' [‎12v] (23/137)

Xll
BOMBAY ADMINISTRATION REPORT.
[1907-1908.
of the Eegistration Department showed a surplus of over lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees . The re
organisation scheme, which finally came into operation on the 1 st ^November
1907, effects a much needed reform by raising the status of Sub-registrars and
their* clerks. Various proposals for popularising and simplifying registration,
sanctioned during the year, were the outcome of a definite policy which aims
at the co-ordination of the Land Eecord and the Eegistration Eecord, as a means
to a complete register of title based on possession.
Registration
under Act XVII
of 1879.
19. The average number of registrations in the four districts in which
the Village Eegistration system is in force is steadily rising. This is due to
increases in the number of sale-deeds and mortgages, with and without possession.
It is rather surprising that the number of leases has not increased in proportion
to the increase in sale-deeds, but the Eecord of Eights makes it clear that, where
writb n leases are used, there is a tendency to make the duration two years and
more, in which case the documents are registered under Act III of 1877. The
working of the system entails a heavy financial loss, and proposals have been
mooted for abolishing Village Eegistration offices altogether, increasing the
number of Sub-registry offices in their stead.
Joint Stock
Companies.
20 . The year’s operations were very successful. Sixty-nine Companies
with a nominal capital of about 5J crores were newly registered, the net
increase in the number of companies at work being 11 per cent. Eighty-four
per cent, of the new companies and 87 per cent, of the total number are
classified under the two headings Trading, and Mills and Presses. Eegistration
fees increased by 32 per cent.
Local Boards.
21. There was an improvement in the average number of meetings held
by District Local Boards in the three divisions 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. . The average
attendance at meetings also improved in the Central and Southern Divisions,
but decreased in the Northern Division and Sind. The season was not favour
able and, except in the Southern Division, ^there were no arrear collections to
swell the receipts. A slight net increase in the income of the Boards was
mainly due to an enhanced Government contribution in Sind. Expenditure
rose by over 15 per cent., three-fourths of the increased outlay being on Civil
Works, including water-supply. There was also a further substantial increase
in expenditure on Education. Nevertheless, the closing balances of all Boards
were above the prescribed minimum and the aggregate closing balance rose by
nearly a lakh One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees and a half.
Bombay 22. The Municipality enjoyed another year of remarkable financial
Municipality. prosperity. The record income realised last year was exceeded by well over
two lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees , notwithstanding a reduction in the General and Water Taxes. It is
true that there was a deficit on the year’s working of nearly three lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees ; but,
whereas the increased expenditure was mainly due to extraordinary and* non
recurring items, the increase in receipts was very largely in stable sources of
income, the result of the general expansion of the city and the rise in the rateable
value of properties. The permanent increase in revenue is estimated to exceed
the permanent increase in expenditure by no less than three Mkhs. There was
a substantial improvement in the public health. The total mortality was the
lowest since 1897, the plague mortality the lowest since the disease appeared
in the city. The plague epidemic was both shorter and less virulent than in
the preceding year. There was a fall of over a thousand in the number of
births registered, but both the low birth-rate and the excessively high rate of
infant mortality are largely fallacious, owing to the frequent evasion of registra
tion, and to the large number of pregnant women who leave the city whenabout
to give birth to children. Thus one-sixth of the mortality under one year was