'ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY, FOR THE YEAR 1909-1910' [‎139v] (8/148)

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BOMBAY ADMINISTRATION RETORT,
[I909.igi 0>
the bortowing thus necessitated, may be attributed, in part, the increase *
work of the Registration Department which constitutes a record wl
/I £kWi on rl £/“»■*• CJ V\ Q-nril o VT A r\ o m nil f O nnonilTl fc f n Y> n 1 ^ • ® t}],Q
on of
impulse
demand for apparel and for ornaments accounts for the large importat*
manufactured articles. The smaller local industries also received an
and recovered from a time of depression. To the same cause can be traced
increase in sales of opium and country spirit. e
There was a considerable increase in Excise revenue owing to themor*
consumption and the imposition of higher duties, notwithstanding u
introduction of reforms to remove the evils of excessive bidding at auction ^
of licenses, and the reduction in the number of shops. The decrease und^
Opium revenue is more apparent than real in view of the special
circumstances which had led to the realisation of much of the revenue of 1909
1910 in the previous year. Rut the series of indications of prosperity culminates
in the extraordinary activity displayed by the sea-borne trade both in 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 and in Sind. In the former the increase in the value of the
total maritime trade was 18^ per cent, and in Sind an increase of almost double
this percentage was attained. Roth figures are the highest yet reached the
most noticeable features being the imports of cotton piece-goods and the exports
of wheat, seeds and raw cotton, the trade in the last commodity being the largest
since the American Civil War. In Sind, the extraordinary increase in importa
tion of machinery, railway-plants and rolling stock indicates activity in the
improvement of communications. The effect of this expansion of trade finds
expression in the increased circulation of currency notes, in the heavy demand
for gold and in the improved receipts of the several port trusts. The one
disquieting feature was the general depression in the cotton spinning and
weaving industry, many of the mills having gone into liquidation owing to
the high price of cotton, and apparently also to the inability to turn out
fabrics which can hold the local market against imported articles. This
depression had its effect on the receipts from Income Tax, which suffered from
the diminution in the profits of companies.
Ihe condition ofj the labouring classes showed a decided improvement
during the year. Everywhere wages were high, and the rates for unskilled
labour in particular tended to increase. With increasing industrial activity
the demand lor labour is not met by the supply, and employers are being
gradually forced to substitute mechanical power for hand labour. At the same
time, however, considerable numbers of the cultivating class find a welcome
supplement to their income while field work is in abeyance, by repairing to
the docks, the irrigation works and other centres of industry. In some quarters
complaints are beard of the deterioration and contraction of agriculture on
account, of these temporary migrations, but this deterioration is extremely
limited in extent. With the increase in the outturn of the crops the year
witnessed a slight fall in the price of staple food-grains in most 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. and bind. The expansion of the co-operative credit system in 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. is a satisfactory feature of the year.
Notwithstanding a slight increase in the death-rate, the public health was
generally satisfactory. The mortality from plague was the lowest since the
advent of the scourge, while the number of recorded deaths from malarial fever
was the smallest since 1898. The increase in the death-rate of the year was
mainly due to an outbreak of cholera spread by pilgrims from the Sinhast
fair at ]S asik where the disease broke out with violence in a congested area.
Ihe birth-rate, while somewhat lower than that of the preceding year, remained
considerably above the mean of the decennial period. Disease was less rife
amongst animals, largely 7 owing to the abatement of rinderpest.