1 SALT REVENUE DEPARTMENT FOR THE OFFICIAL YEAR 1896-97.
2 persons ata time of the year when there is little or no field REVIEW BZ SECTIONS.
3 work, and during a year of scarcity like the past they have SULTANPUR SALT
4 been particularly valuable in giving a means of livelihood to WORKS.
5 many who would otherwise have suffered from the effects of
6 the failure of the crops. Under these circumstances, I think it
7 is very satisfactory that the trade of the works remained in a
8 healthy condition during the year under report. .
9 28. The following statement shows the prices at which _ Selling price at the works,
10 salt was sold at the Sultanpur salt works during the past year
11 as compared with 1895-96 :—
12 One anna/Three to | Four to } Five to Six Above
13 Year. to under | uvder under {| under | tounder eioht Total.
14 three, four. five. six. eight. a
15 Mds. Mds. Mds. Mds. Mds. Mds. Mds.
16 1895 96 ... the 3,373 | 80,668 | 70,469 | 2,212] 1,411 Sel 1,08,133
17 1896-97, ... fe 27,896 | 30,581 | 52,935 465 ci
18 ’ se 1,11,877
19 I mentioned in the preceding paragraph that simultaneously
20 with the reduction in the rate of the Hakimi cess, the manufac-
21 turers endeavoured to improve their trade by reducing their
22 prices. The statement given shows the extent to which this
23 was done. During 1895-96 maunds 34,041 were sold at under
24 four annas a maund, while the quantity so disposed of in
25 1896-97 amounted to maunds 58,477, a difference of maunds
26 24,436, equal to 41°78 per cent. On the other hand, sales of salt
27 at rates from four annas and upwards amounted during the
28 past year to only maunds 53,400 compared with maunds
29 74,092 in 1895-96, a decrease of maunds 20,692, equal to 38°74
30 per cent. These reductions in price are large, and the manufac-
31 turers have wisely given the whole benefit of the change in
32 the rate of the Hakimi cess to the consumer, no doubt in the
33 hope that the sale of large quantities at low rates would
34 yield a higher aggregate profit than small quantities at fancy
35 prices. They have had their reward ina steady maintenance
36 of their trade during a year of exceptional difficulty. The
37 sale prices of Sultanpuri in the markets which import it
38 illustrate the effects of the reduction in the Hakimi cess and of
39 the rates at the works. Thus at Cawnpur the priceof the salt
40 was Rs. 3-5-4 a maund in April 1894 and Rs. 3-1-0 in April
41 1896; at Hardoi Rs. 3-10-9 in Apri] 1895 and Rs. 3-3 in
42 April 1896 ; at Sitapur, Rs. 3-12-0in April 1895 and Rs. 3-8-3
43 in April 1896 ; at Sulténpur (Oudh) Rs. 3-12-11 in April 1895
44 and Rs. 3-8-11 in April 1896; and at Rai Bareli Rs. 3-8-11,
45 in April 1895 and Rs. 3-7 in April 1896.
46 29. The statement below shows the distribution of the — pjstripution of trade by
47 trade of the Sultdnpur salt works during the past year and the _ rail and ‘road,
48 three preceding it :— . .
49 Distribution of exports. 1893-94. {1894-95. | 1895-96. | 1896-97.
50 Railway Traffic. Mds. Mds. Mus. Mds.
51 To Delhi 2 ove * gee 5,067 1,840 100 197
52 Norch Western Railway ... ses ase 4,544 6,535 6,955 6,464
53 East Indian Railway $y eee vee | 49,685 | 70,159 77,648 81,463"
54 Bilibhit and Bareilly Railway aes aoa 2,715 | 11,127 9,940 12,505
55 Oudh and Rohilkhan’ Railway wee ae 1,232 1,200 270 715
56 Lucknow-Rae Bareli Branch, Oudh and Rohil- ane tee 1,530 ees
57 khand Railway-
58 Rewari-Ferozepore Branch, Réjputéna-Malwa Rail- 15
59 way. — | ———- ] ——_- —_] ___- -—_.
60 ? Total see | 63,243 | 90,861 96,458 | 1,01,344
61 ’
62 eS ST
63 ( 23 )