1 SALT REVENUE DEPARTMENT FOR THE OFFICIAL YEAR 1897-98.
2 it became known to traders, carriers and others thatan increase REVIEW BY SECTIONS.
3 in the duty was in contemplation, a rush was madeto lay in X0HAT MINES.
4 stocks, and sales were abnormally heavy in consequence.
5 Early in 1896-97, the Government of India decided upon rais-
6 ing the duty from eight annas to two rupees a Lahori maund
7 of 102% tbs. and the measure was carried out with effect from
8 the 13th July 1896, a month’s notice of the enhancement being
9 given. The rush for salt, which commenced during 1895-96,
10 continued during 1896-97, down to the date on which the higher
11 rate of duty took effect. Maunds 4,95,432 were disposed of at
12 the eight-anna rate of duty between the 1st April and 12th July
13 1896. From the 13th July 1896 tothe end of the year 1896-97,
14 the trade of the mines was practically at a stand-still, as only
15 738 maunds of salt were issued at the higher rate of duty of
16 two rupees a Lahori maund. Trade gradually revived during
17 the year underweport, but was unable to return entirely to its
18 normal course. The frontier war not only closed the markets
19 beyond the border for a time, but caused a scarcity of carriage ;
20 the stocks of salt purchased at the lower rate of duty, and stored
21 in the country Trans-Indus, were not inconsiderable ; and toa
22 certain extent Kohat salt was displaced along the line of the
23 Indus river by Cis-Indus salt. These remarks show that the
24 past three years have been abnormal ones. Comparing them
25 with the three years immediately preceding, the figures of sales
26 work out as follows :-—
27 Meurds.
28 1892-93 ‘aes eee ‘ous vee ase 6,283,981
29 1893-94 ace one tee ove tes §,90,285
30 1894-95 ae ave one ave oy 5,91,497
31 Average ove 6,01,921
32 1895-96 ves naa oe one eee 7,85,470
33 1896-97 one ove eee ane ove 4,96,170
34 1897-98 ose eee oon oor one 3,22,404
35 _ Average eee 5,34,681
36 Taking the normal sales at about six lakhs of maunds
37 annually, the average of the past three years falls below that
38 quantity by about 70,000 maunds. ‘Taking into consideration
39 that the trade was without doubt impeded by the war on the
40 frontier, the existence of old stocks and the advance of Cis-
41 Indus salt along the line of the river Indus, I am of opinion
42 that the sales of the year under report may be considered satis- ~
43 factory. Stocks of old salt have now become exhausted toa
44 very great extent, and the only factors which may affect the
45 trade of the current year are, economy on the part of consumers
46 in the use of an article of higher value ‘than in the past, and
47 the advance in the consumption of Cis-Indus salt along the line
48 of the river Indus. About 70,000 maunds-of Kohat salt have
49 issued during the first three months of the current year, com-
50 pared with about 89,000 maunds during the same period of
51 1894-95, the last normal year. The trade of these mines is
52 most brisk during the winter, and it is therefore as yet too
53 early to submit a forecast of the sales of 1898-99.
54 The increase in the revenue of the mines during the past
55 year was of course entirely due to salt having issued at the
56 higher rate of duty.
57 The charges during the year under report amounted to
58 Rs. 1,19,829, compared with Rs. 93,265 during 1896-97, or an
59 increase of Rs. 26,564. This was owing to the addition of 4
60 officers and 182 men made to the establishment during 1896-97
61 having had full effect upon the charges of the past year, and to
62 an increase in the percentage paid to maliks and others. The
63 ( 21 )