'REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY, FOR THE YEAR 1907-1908' [‎18v] (35/137)

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BOMBAY ADMINISTRATION REPORT.
[1907-1908.
sumption decreased to some extent, there was an increase in the receipts from
tree-tax There was a slight recovery under Indian-manufactured malt liquor*
partl^owing ^o higher duty-rate, hut the imports of fermented liquors
declined heavilv once more. Revenue from intoxicating drugs other than
opium increased by 20 per cent,, and that from opium by per cent. In the
case of opium the increased consumption was due as much to the lowering of
the issue rate as to the number of marriage ceremonies. Prom the administra
tive point of view the year was noteworthy for the re-organization of the Abkari
Department. The appointment of full-time Assistant Collectors of Abkari
and the improvement in the status of the subordinate stall cannot fail to raise
the standard of efficiency and integrity. The orders of the Government of
India on the report of the Excise Committee were received and various impiove-
ments and reforms in the administration were approved and introduced.
Sind.
Aden.
Cotton Duties
Act.
Stamps.
Income,Tax.
Local Funds.
Births and
Deaths.
On a smaller scale, the excise returns for Sind present the same features as
those for 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. There was a rise of 12| per cent, in the total
revenue. The consumption of country liquor increased by 14J per cent, and
the consumption of opium by 9 per cent.
In Aden, the receipts for 1906-1907 were abnormally inflated by large
imports at the close of the year to evade payment of the enhanced duty.
Hence this year there was a decline of 57 per cent.
49. The number of mills increased from 147 to 156, 9 new mills being
opened in Ahmedabad, while there was an increase of 2 in other districts and a
decrease of 2 in Bombay. Ahmedabad has now 52 mills to 84 in Bombay. The
production of woven goods shows a large increase, hut the production of
yarn, which is in less demand for export, suffered a further heavy decline.
50. An improvement of P 8 Mkhs of rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. in the gross receipts under
the Stamp Act was the result of the commercial activity which characterised
the year.
51. The final demand rose by 2| lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees or 6 percent, and the collections by
nearly 2 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees or 4 per cent. The main causes of increase were enhanced
profits, a larger number of employes and higher salaries—the concomitants of
commercial prosperity, particularly in Bombay, Abmedabad and Karachi.
52. The income of the Incorporated Local Eunds increased by over
lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees , but the charges, which increased by over 10 J lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees , fell short of the
total receipts by little more than a lakh One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees . The Government Central Book Depot
Eund has been abolished and the balance credited to Provincial Revenues. The
income of the Steam Boiler Inspection Eund continues to expand owing to more
extended operations and the steady increase in the number of candidates for
the Engineer’s Examination. There was a substantial increase in the closing
balance of Cantonment Eunds. The Indus Conservancy Eund has been
removed from the books of the Accountant General.
53. Excluding the figures for Europeans and Eurasians, there were
610,533 births and 606,606 deaths in 1907, compared with 625,486 and 648,019
in the previous year. The birth-rate fell from 33*84 to 33*03 per mille and the
death-rate from 35*06 to 32*82 per mille, the mean death-rate for the five years
1902-1906 being 38*25. Though there was a net increase in the total population
amounting to 3,927, deaths exceeded births in Bombay, S4tdra, Belgaum,
Kanara, Kaira, Ahmedabad, and all the registration districts in Sind except
Karachi. The highest birth-rate was 55*95 in West Khandesh and the lowest
14*66 in Hyderabad ; the highest death-rate 56*76 in Satara and the lowest 17*85
in the Upper Sind Frontier. There was a slight decline in the mortality from