'ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY, FOR THE YEAR 1908-1909' [‎83v] (28/132)

Salt :
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.
xxii
BOMBAY ADMINISTRATION REPORT. 0908-^
the years 1909 and 1910, although much of this was not actually brought t 0
Bombay. The resulting increase of no less than per cent, m the duty
realized on imports into Bombay accounted for the rise of over a crore Equivalent to ten million, or one hundred lakhs. Used especially in connection with money (rupees). i n th e
Imperial revenue from opium. At the same time there was a rise of 73 per cent,
in the actual imports into Bombay of opium on winch exportation duties had
been paid. There was, moreover, an expectation that the restriction would
raise the prices in China just as it lowered them m Bombay, and this, combined
with the anxiety not to be excluded by the limit hxed for the calendar year 19 0 9,
led to larger exports than usual during the first three months. The total
quantity shipped to China during 1908-1909 thus showed an increase of 22 n e .
47. There was a small decrease in the removals of both . Baragra and sea
salt but the ouly noticeable feature was the growing popularity of the former
in the United Provinces, one cause of which is to be found in the convenience
offered by the through traffic system. B-emovals to many other parts of India
during the previous year had been much in excess of the demand, and were
necessarily reduced during the year under review. Local merchants in the
meanwhile were withholding removals in anticipation of a further reduction of
duty. Owing to the adverse season the reserve stock of Baragra salt again
diminished, notwithstanding the new pans which had been opened in the previous
year, but an increase of lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees of maunds in manufactures of sea salt resulted
in a considerably improved balance. The most satisfactory result of the year
was the proof which it afforded of the benefit derived by customers from the
reduction of duty, which had almost everywhere been accompanied by an equal
or greater fall in price. The number of offences has similarly responded, and
during the year amounted only to half the figures of 1908-1907.
In Bind there was an increase in production and a small decrease in sales.
The exceptional monsoon caused some temporary dislocation of trade, and the
average rate of consumption was accordingly slightly less. The average selling
price again fell, providing further justification for the reduction of duty and
the abolition of the license system.
Issues from the Arab Salt Works at Aden showed some reduction, but there
was a considerable increase in the quantity of salt exported by the Italian Salt
Company.
48. The Excise revenue rose 4J Mkhs or 3 per cent., and amounting
in all to H crores exceeded the average of the preceding three years by
23 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees . Only in the case of toddy, opium and hemp drugs, however, was
there any increase in consumption. There was a marked decrease in the sales of
country spirit, and receipts from still-head duty fell by 6 Idkhs. The net increase
in the revenue from country spirit was chiefly due to the introduction L fco
nine more districts of the Contract Supply system. The district monopoly system
now survives only in the Konkan. ils a result, the receipts from license feesiu
the auction districts increased by 9 Idkhs. The experiment of managing t^°
shops departmentally throughout the year demonstrated that in 1907-1 908
liquor had been sold iu the private shops at a price far exceeding that allBH®^ ^
the licenses. The num her of liquor shops -was further reduced during the ye 8t >
hut the decrease in consumption was chiefly due to other causes, principal among
which were the Sinvhast year, the enhancement of duty in a few areas aud tb«
high price of necessaries of life. The semi-political temperance agitation which
marked the year had no appreciable effect beyond causing temporary l oca
fluctuations. The revenue from toddy showed a small decrease, but the consumf
tion was larger. The increase where it occurred is attributed to the high wag 68