'ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY, FOR THE YEAR 1908-1909' [‎77v] (16/132)

BOMBAY ADMINISTRATION REPORT.
[1908.
1909,
Execution of
tlie decrees of
Civil Courts by
the Revenue
Department.
s
L
Registration
under Act XVI
of 1908.
1 7 While the number of decrees received by the Collectors for execution
was less bv\ per cent., the number disposed o dunng the year showed a ^
tTau proportionate reduction and little diminution was therefore effected in the
volume of arrears, which amounted to 58 per cent of .the cases await ing
diosal The unfavourable character of the season however, necessitated t, le
SL,! of in niany di.triot. of th„ P»»d».y P-por. P, %
on ..»«* Of del.,, in eaoonlion a greater "> "f”™ l » oompromi*
noticeable, and although the number of decrees settled by mutual agreement
formed the same proportion as in the preceding year, the amount remitted by
creditors increased by 74 per cent, and bore a ratio of 14 per cent, to the total
decretal value of the cases so disposed of. There was a decrease in the area
sold in execution of decrees, hut both the assessment and the price reali ZeiJ
were larger and the latter represented an increased multiple of the .former.
18. The registration returns afford satisfactory evidence of a decline in
the tendency to substitute sales for mortgages which had resulted from tie
extension of the Deccan Agriculturists* Eelief Act. In contrast to the figures
of several preceding years there was a slight decrease in sales during the year
under review, accompanied by a very considerable increase in mortgages.
Leases also were fewer in the aggregate, but presented some noticeable fluctua
tions which are attributed to the varying influence of the Eecord of Eights
in different districts. The process of compilation is believed to have created
a demand for the documentary evidence which registration affords. The
demand seems to explain the very large increase in the number of registrations
of all kinds which accompanied the preparation of the Eecord throughout 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. ; and the gradual completion of this process appears to be responsible
for the fact that the total number of registrations effected during the year
exhibits a much smaller increase than has lately become usual. The first
complete year of working under the new conditions of the re-organization
scheme has proved the latter to be successful. The expense was greater and
amounted to 49 per cent, of the revenue; with increased receipts, however,
there remained a surplus of over 3 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees .
Registration 19. All the four districts in which Village Eegistration is in force
of 1879 . C contributed to a decrease of 6 per cent, in the total number of documents
registered. The decline is most generally attributed to the amendment of the
Transfer of Property Act which extends the provisions of Act XVI of 1908 to
all documents of sale or mortgage affecting immovable property which are
presented to Sub-Eegistrars. Eecourse to the Village Eegistration system is
said to have been diminished further by liberal grants of tagdvi and by a fall
in the value of land. While the receipts decreased by 4 per cent, the expen
diture showed a saving of 12 per cent., partly, however, owing to the exclusion
of the portion of Sub-Eegistrars’ salaries which was formerly debited to this
account. Even so, however, there was a arge deficit on the year’s working,
and efforts are being made to amalgamate or abolish Village Eegistration
Offices and to open new Sub-Eegistrars’ Offices in their place.
Companies „ 20 ' Tlle fi °T of the reflect the slackness of trade. The number
of companies newly registered was considerably less. Those classified as
Trading companies and as Mills and Presses as usual formed the bulk of the
new registrations, which amounted in all to 55. Owing, however, to the much
larger number that went into liquidation during the year the net increase in the
comp^ s at work was only 24. The accompanying increase in nominal capital
nominal p 0 ^' i ^ Cl ° Se ° f ^ year 516 companies were extant with a
nominal capital of 34^ crores.