1 v
2 REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE-NORTHERN INDIA
3 REVIEW BYSECTIONS. Downwards, 3,801 maunds were sent to Dera Ghazi Khan,
4 PANJAB MINES. compared with only 82 mauhds during 1896-97, The river
5 trade with Sindh fell off slightly, maunds 9,002 only having
6 been booked to Sukkur, compared with maundsg 9,810 during
7 1896-97. The railway trade of the year amounted to maunds
8 71,123, compared with maunds 56,867 during 1896-97, or an
9 increase of maunds 14,256. This trade was with the section
10 of the Sind Sagar branch down to Muzaffargarh and Multan,
11 and thence onwards to stations on the main line in the Baha-
12 walpur State. Salt was also sent to Sukkur in Sindh and
13 Quetta, in Baluchistan. The increase in the trade was general.
14 lt may be noted that 3,149 maunds of salt were sent to Ghazi
15 Ghat, opposite Dera Ghazi Khan, probably for consumption
16 in the country trans-Indus. Maunds 924 and maunds 509 were
17 sent to Sukkur and Quetta, respectively. During 1896-97
18 no salt was booked to Quetta, and only 175 maunds to
19 Sukkur in Sindh. With the opening of the Mari-Attock
20 Railway, I anticipate a further increase in the trade of these
21 quarries. The salt obtained from them is of very superior
22 quality, and with the facilities which the railway will afford,
23 TI expect the trade with Attock and marts in that direction will
24 not be inconsiderable.
25 Nurpur.—This is a very small mine, and supplies only local
26 requirements. Clearances during the past year amounted to
27 maunds 4,465, compared with maunds 4,153 during 1896-97, or
28 a slight improvement of 312 maunds.
29 The following are figures of the quantities of salt sold for
30 consumption within the protected areas of the salt range
31 during the past three years :—
32 Mds.
33 1895-96 one pe ie ese + 19,605
34 1896-97 wee ose ove tee ve 20,195
35 1897-98 ase ow 20,297
36 There is a small but progressive increase. This is satis-
37 factory, as there is great temptation to remove salt from the
38 numerous and widely scattered outcrops of rock salt in a most
39 difficult country.
40 Through traffic receipts 21. The following statement shows the through traffic
41 and expenditure, receipts and expenditure of the Division during the past four
42 years :-—
43 1894-95. | 1895-96. | 1896-97. | 1897-98.
44 Rs. Rs. Rs. Rs,
45 Receipt tee ise ae 51,752 60,495 57,672 61,727
46 Expenditure ... bas oes 37,110 45,876 45,238 45,725
47 Profit ase aus eee 14,642 14,619 12,4384 16,002
48 There has been no change in the nature of the receipts. A
49 charge of six pies a maund is paid by all traders who desire to
50 have their salt despatched to them by the department, and the
51 expenditure represents the cost of clearing such salt. An
52 increase of Rs. 4,055 appears under the head of receipts, owing
53 to the quantity of salt indented for under the through traffic
54 system having been larger than during 1896-97. Expenditure
55 is heavier, owing to clearance charges having been paid on
56 maunds 20,02,915 during the year under review, compared
57 with maunds 18,76,132 during 1896-97.
58 Indus Preventive Line ; 22. The next statement shows, for the past four years, the
59 cost of maintaining. cost of the Indus Preventive Line, which was maintained for
60 ( 18 )