'REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY FOR THE YEAR 1911-1912' [‎336v] (106/259)

Chapter I.
PHYSICAL
AND
66
BOMBAY ADMINISTRATION REPORT.
[iQH-
Population.
ises
are
PHYSICAL . tit.
political. metalled road constructed by the Local Board, and there is also a Local Board metalled r
■ f nr on miles from Broach towards Jambusar. Metailed roads from Derol to Vagra and
b C r ', V t ', L sh D V= r °v: Jambusar 1 to Masar road of 8 and 7 milos in length respectively are also unde? conTtrLS
Northern Division. All other roads in the district are very bad. l 0 n.
5.—Surat.
1 . The population is 654,109 or 397 per square mile. The chief cultivating clas:
the Anavla Brahmins, Kunbis and Kolis, Rajputs, Bohras, a few Parsis and some Marvari
Vanias are also found amongst the Surat cultivators. The aboriginal races or Kaliparaj fn 1
rather more than one third of the whole Hindu population. The Dublas, their most numern^
section, are distributed all over the district. The most important of the artisan classes are fT S
Ghanchis, Golas, Khatris, Sutars and Kumbhars. During recent famine years man 6
Mahomedan weavers have immigrated into Surat City from Benares, etc. The Vanias aretl/
chief traders but some of the Ghanchis have recently taken up this profession. The Mussa ] 6
mans form 8*6 per cent, of the total population of the district and, except a few Bohras, they ar
not in a flourishing condition. The Parsis are found all over the district. In a few villaag 6
they have settled in colonies and cultivate the lands. In a number of other villages one laro-e
Parsi land owner is found. They practically monopolise the trade dn toddy and country liquo r
2 . The land revenue amounts*!© Rs. 23 , 44 , 891 , excise to Rs. I7,73>386, assessed taxes
to Rs. 84.809 and local fund cess to Rs. 1 , 71 , 000 . Stamps realised Rs. 1 , 91,204 and forests
Rs. 88 , 767 .
3 . The eight talukas and one mahal into which the district is divided are under the
charge of two Assistants and one Deputy Collector. The City of Surat forms a separate
magisterial charge under the City Magistrate. The Sessions Judge, with whom is associated
a Judge of the Small Causes Court, is assisted by four Sub-Judges, sitting at Olpad, Surat and
Bulsar. The District Superintendent of Police, assisted by a Deputy, is in executive charge of
the Police. Forest administration is under a Deputy Conservator, assisted by an extra
Assistant Conservator.
Revenue.
Administration.
Agriculture.
Means of communi
cation.
Population.,
Revenue.
4 . The area under cultivation is 773,998 acres, the waste is 2-9 per cent, of the gross
culturable area. Cultivators are ready to take up more waste land but its grant would reduce
the area available for grazing to more than is desirable. Jowari ranks with cotton and rice is
the principal crop. Wheat is chiefly sown in parts of Olpad, and Mandvi, and nagli and
kodra chiefly in the south. There are 8,764 acres under irrigation, of which 3,118 are
devoted to sugarcane.
5 . There are 435 miles of road in the district by which the principal towns are connect
ed with Surat and the railway. There are 17 road bridges of which the most important are
those over the Tapti at Surat and over the Tena Creek near Olpad. The communications in
the district are still hampered for want of more bridges and by the excessive interlacing of
Native State territory, in which the roads are badly maintained. The B. B. & C. I. Railway
runs through the district parallel to the coast. The Tapti-Valley Railway, 170 miles in
length, which links Surat directly eastwards to Amalner with the G. I. P. Railway in East
Khandesh, was opened in 1898 . The Kosumba-Ghankvao Railway, just beyond the north
border of Olpad and of Mandvi, was constructed and opened during 1911 - 12 . Another,
Billimorato Kalamba on the western border of the Dangs, 34'8 miles in length, is under con
struction by the Baroda Darbar A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family). and will probably be opened for traffic in 1914 . The sea
borne trade shows occasional large variations resulting from the nature of the agricultural
season.. But on the whole it is still very little more than in 1901 - 02 . The railway
competition is much felt, and the growth of traffic is to be looked for in the railway statistics.
6.—Tha'na.
1 . The population of the district is 882,309 or 247 to the square mile. The Deshastha
Brahmins slightly outnumber the Konkanasths. Kayastha Prabhus, who are mostly writers
and accountants, are also numerous. The traders are chiefly Banias from Gujarat and Marwar,
Bhatias, Parsis and Musalmans. Kunbis and A^ris are the principal classes of cultivators pro
per. Much land in Dahanu and Umbargaon is held by Parsis. The so-called wild tribes 0
Lhakurs, Warlis and Hill-Kolis also subsist mainly by cultivation. The Son-Kolis of the coast,
a different and more civilised race, are fishermen. Amongst the many other castes of the coas
talukas, the Bhandaris or hereditary toddy drawers are perhaps the most noticeable, except t e
Native Christians of Salsette and Bassein. There is a large population of Katkaris or Kathocns,
a tijbe superior only to the Mahars in the scale of castes, and subsisting by labour on fores
tellings, roads and by minor forest produce.
2 . The land revenue amounts to Rs. 13 , 72 , 351 , excise to Rs. 15 , 27 , 345 , assessed ^ ax ^. s ^
s -37>4 2 * * 5 an d local fund cess to Rs. 1 , 02 , 100 . The forest revenue in 1911- 12 r M alZ t0
s - ^ 2 > 1 9,5 8 2 and the revenue from stamps was Rs. 1 , 62 , 527 . The forest figure is .swo en .
near y twice its normal size by the inclusion of the price of grass supplied to famine-s ric
districts in 1911 - 12 . r rr