1 SALT REVENUE DEPARTMENT FOR THE OFFICIAL YEAR 1897-98.
2 valueless without the facilities for removal to areas of con-
3 sumption afforded by the railway. His Honour the Lieutenant-
4 Governor of the Panjab visited the town of Farakhnagar at
5 about this time, and in consequence of action taken by His
6 Honour, the notice of closure was withdrawn and a decision
7 on the question has been postponed until the 30th of June
8 1900. Though this is satisfactory in the interests of the
9 works, yet the industry has received a shock from which it
10 may he difficult for it to recover. Down to the close of 1896-97,
11 it was slowly, but steadily, progressive. During the year
12 under review there was a sudden decadence, only 38 factories
13 having worked compared with 48 during 1895-97.
14 Maunds 80,030 of salt were excised from the works during
15 the year under report, compared with maunds 1,11.877 during
16 1896-97, or a very large decrease of maunds 31,847, The
17 causes which affected manufacture prejudicially had a similar
18 effect upon salés, To a great extent, purchases of salt are
19 made on the principle of time bargains. Manufacturers and
20 traders enter into contracts under which quaritities of salt are
21 supplied within certain periods. During the past year, the
22 persistent rumours of the closure of the railway resulted in
23 caution on the part of traders in their dealings in Sultanpuri
24 salt. As I have already mentioned, notice of closure was
25 actually given with a very short period of grace, and though
26 this was ultimately withdrawn, the circumstance had full
27 effect on the trade. Taking everything into consideration, I
28 think the trade of the year was fairly good. It has received
29 a shock, and it remains to be seen whether confidence will be
30 re-established.
31 30. The following statement shows the prices at which
32 salt was sold at the Sultanpur Works during the past year,
33 as compared with 1896-97 :—
34 One anna Three Four Five Six to
35 Year. to under | to under | to under | to under under Total.
36 three. four. five, sik. eight.
37 Mds. Mds. Mds. Mds, Mads, Mds.
38 1896-97 ... ato 27,896 30,581 52,935 465 toe 1,11,877
39 1897-98 ... oo 27,821 20,919 28,905 810 1,575 80,030
40 At the lowest range of prices, the sales of both years are
41 about the same. ‘The decrease which has occurred in quan-
42 tities sold at from three to five annns a maund has followed
43 the falling off in the trade. This decrease shows the effect
44 which the contemplated closure of the railway had upon the
45 trade of the principal salt factories. The salt sold at the
46 lowest rates was the produce of the clusters of works at Zahid-
47 pur and Sadrana. The trade of the former is principally
48 road traffic, while the latter is situated close to the main line
49 of the Rajputdna-Malwa Railway. Owing to this, these
50 works would be less affected than others by the closure of the
51 -branch railway, and their salt retained its value fairly well
52 during the year. The best salt is produced at the Mubarik-
53 pur and Sultanpur clusters, and the quantity manufactured is
54 large. These works are entirely dependent upon the Farakh-
55 nagar railway for carriage, and the contemplated closure of
56 that branch caused a fall in the value of the salt manufactured
57 upon them.
58 (27)
59 REVIEW BY SECTIONS.
60 SULTANPUR SALT
61 WORKS.
62 Selling price at tho works,