'ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY, FOR THE YEAR 1909-1910' [‎146v] (24/148)

xyi BOMBAY ADMINISTRATION REPORT. [1909-1910,
Prices and
wages.
Forests-
Manufactures
and Industries-
34 . With the favourable season the outturn of food-grams rose by oy er
30 per cent, 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 by per cent m Sind, and pri ces
fell accordingly. The average increase in the amount of 30 wari purchasable
per rupee was two seers or almost 15 per cent, 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. , while
the increase in bajri varied from three seers in the Deccan to on e seer i Q Si nd .
Wheat and rice were generally cheaper, the latter particu ar y m ^ind where
the area under rice increased by 17 per cenc. The price o gram was consider
ably easier tlian in the preceding year, Jagri ro^e iu price m t e Piesidency
proper owing to the contraction in cultivation, but in Sin ar 0 e imports from the
United Provinces kept the prices below those of last year. . A noticeable feature
was the high price prevailing for ghi which was much in demand owing to
the number of marriage and other festivals. The increase in the price of cotton-
varying from 28^ per cent, over the average for the Broach variety to 36f per
cent, for the Khandesh variety—was caused by the keen demand in the foreign
market following on the shortage in the American crop. The season proved
most favourable for cotton and the outturn improved by 30 percent. The labour
market did not, however, respond to the fall iu the prioe of food-grains. On
the contrary, where wages were not stationary, there was a marked increase
which is to be explained by the excess of demand over supply. There was an
almost general complaint of the lack of labourers and of the inefioiency of those
available. In some places cultivation is being affected by the increasing ten
dency of the agricultural class to flock to mills and factories or to the large
irrigation works, and only those landowners who pay for labour I 37 a fixed
share of the produce are without complaint. In Ahmedabad particularly, the
activity of ginning factories rendered it difficult to obtain labour for other
purposes, while in Sind the clearance of canals and Local Fund contracts were
impeded by the scarcity of workers despite the high wages obtainable. Every
where the impression is that the labouring class has improved its position and
is becoming more independent.
35. There was no material alteration in the area of Reserved Eorests
except in Sind where the increase was 15 square miles. In that province
31 square miles were added by fresh alluvial accretions and 22 square miles were
lost by the erosion of the river. The area damaged by fire in the Northern
Circle increased by 5 per cent., but in the Central Circle the doubled
expenditure on operations for protection against fire was followed by a
decrease of 8 per cent, in the area ravaged by forest fires. In Sind the
dearth of fresh grass consequent upon the low inundation created disaffection
amongst maldars and villagers who wilfully resorted to firing the forest areas
in their neighbourhood to the extent of 19,442 acres, an increase of 673 per
cent. The number of prosecutions for forest offences remained almost the
same as in the preceding year, the decrease of 14 per cent, in the Northern
Circle being counterbalanced by increases in the Southern and Sind Circles.
Ihe decrease of 18 per cent, in the number of cases of impounding cattle
is. a noticeable feature of forest administration in the Central Circle. All
Ciicles except Sind show an increase in revenue from forests. In Sind a
decline in the demand for fuel and lae resulted in a fall in receipts of
11 per cent. The total surplus of receipts over expenditure for all four
Circles increased by 5 per cent, to 15’7 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees of rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. . Only in the Northern
Circle did the expenditure show a marked increase due to the 20 per cent.
bonus paid to owners of occupied lands in Thana from which teak trees have
been cleared.
%
36. Notwithstanding the improvement in the demand for manufactured
goods the high prices prevalent for cotton resulting from the failure of the