'REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY FOR THE YEAR, 1910-1911' [‎243r] (69/150)

MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATION.
33
Chap. Ill
PROTECTION.
2. The year opened with a working cash balance of Rs. 21,96,540. The total income Finance.
was Rs. 1,21,96, 1 49 and the expenditure Rs. 1,12,81,872. The working cash balance at the
end of the year was Rs. 3 I > 49 > 3 2 3 > out °f which a sum of Rs. 6,61,178 was hypothecated for
lapsed grants requiring renewal and a sum of Rs. 8,65,000 was reserved for payment to the
City Impro vement; Trust on account of contribution from revenues ear-marked for the purpose.
■phe unhypothecated cash balance at the end of the year was therefore Rs. 15,23,146. The
General Tax was increased during the year from 9J to io£ per cent, and the Fire Tax from
a to | p er cent - 011 ra<:ea hle value. The duty on grain was raised and that on firewood was
reimp ose T The Water Tax was reduced from to 3§ per cent, and the water charge to
railways and the Port Trust was lowered. The actual receipts for the year exceeded those
of the previous year by Rs. 9,82,285. The incidence of taxation per head of population
according to the census figures of 1911 was Rs. 10-12-1. After allowance is made for grants
requiring renewal the. expenditure shows a net saving on the sanctioned grants of
Rs. 2 , 3 i > 64 2 - # The saving was chiefly effected under the heads General Superintendence,
Gardens, Public Works Engineer’s Department, New Works and Public Health Department.
Compared with the preceding year there was a net decrease in expenditure of Rs. 1,15,178.
3 . The expenditure on Loan Works amounted to Rs. 25,08,991 against Rs. 21,85,806 Loan and plague
in the preceding year, the increase being principally under Buildings and Sanitary Structures, expenditure.
Roads and Overbridges and Drainage. The expenditure on plague measures amounted to
Rs. 1,87,234, showing a decrease of Rs. 13,681.
4. The second instalment, of Rs. 15 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees , was raised during the year of the loan of Rs. 30 Debt and Sinking
lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees for the acquisition of sites for the construction of overbridges. The payment made Fun d.
towards the reduction of debt amounted to Rs. 1,20,058. The capital liabilities of the
Corporation increased from Rs. 5,49,08,205 to Rs. 5,62,88,147. The total Sinking Fund
invested up to the close of the year was Rs. 1,04,68,216, leaving a net liability of
Rs.
5. The assets of the Municipality at the close of the year were Rs. 8-37 crores and the Assests and
liabilities were Rs. 5-91 crores. The actual excess of assets over liabilities was Rs. 2,46,20,193, liabilities,
showing an increase of Rs. 20,10,954 compared with the previous year.
6. The amount collected under all heads exclusive of miscellaneous receipts and toll Assessment and
fees was Rs. 80,67,369, against Rs. 73,66,179 in the previous year. The increase was partly collection of
due to the increase in the General Tax and Fire Tax and partly to a rise in the total rateable ievenue -
value. The final gross assessment was Rs. 5,20,51,478 against Rs. 4,94,44,987. Complaints
against assessment numbered 3,978 against 5,013 in the previous year. In all the total demand
of property taxes was Rs. 79,70,361, and the total outstandings at the close of the year were
Rs. 1,13,571. The collections of town duties amounted to Rs. 34,49,545 against Rs. 29,29,531.
The amount refunded was Rs. 18,57,376 and the net revenue was Rs. 15,92,169 against
R s - I 3)63,ii9. The proportion of refunds to total collections was nearly 54 per cent., almost
the same figure as in the preceding year.
7. Altogether 6,329 notices were served on house-owners under the Municipal Act, an Prosecutions, etc.
increase of 1,413. Prosecutions were instituted in 1,664 cases, leading to the infliction of fines
m 436. Four hundred and seventeen notices were issued for the removal of dangerous buildings.
Twelve buildings fell down before being observed by the Building Department, causing one fatal
accident and injuries to two persons.
8. A total space of 7,732 square yards was added To the streets at a cost price of Communications.
Rs. 2,66,644. The area of roads metalled was 4,551,871 square feet at a cost of Rs. 2,48,350.
The work of tar grouting was carried on over 39,050 square feet of roads in the Fort and that
0 ^tar painting over 436,463 square feet, at a total cost of Rs. 13,523. Progress was made in
Ihe construction of overbridges, the expenditure on this head amounting to Rs. 7,79,809
during the year.
9 - The total cost of gas lighting rose by Rs. 23,790 to Rs. 3,20,771, the number of gas Public lighting.
am P s being increased by 321. Expenditure on kerosine-oil street lighting fell by Rs. 1,270
f° Rs. 43,345, the decrease being due to the use of a cheaper brand of oil exclusively for the
as t six months of the year.
10 - The municipal workshops showed a balance of Rs. 1,754 on the year’s working. Municipal Work-
shops.
n. The Fire Brigade received 123 calls and helped in extinguishing 71 fires, only one of Fire Brigade.
lc “ was attended with fatal results. In this case the Brigade were summoned too late and
'pf Ven persons lost their lives. The question of erecting street fire alarms is under inquiry.
^ Qugh the number of fires was 21 in excess of the average the estimated damage to property
low ° n ^ ^ S ' 5 , 7 ^ 74 2 a gainst Rs. 15,05,557 in the previous year, the former figure being the
Vest recorded in the last 10 years.
hk 12 quantities of water delivered into the city from the T ansa, Vehar and Tulsi Water-supply.
a £aT ^ ere 6,165, 3)823 and 1,312 million gallons respectively. Seventy-six bursts were detected
numb 117 in the P rev i° us year. The number of new connections was 707 and the total
er °f connections at the end of the year was 22,910.
p} * 8- The total mortality was 34,933 against 34,878 in the previous year. Deaths from Public health.
S e numbered 3,656 against 5,197 and were fewer than at any time since plague first
B 963—9