1 SALT REVENUE DEPARTMENT FOR THE OFFICIAL YEAR 1899-1900,
2 not so favourable as those of 1898-99, when the yield was EUS eee
3 138°46 maunds per hundred cubic feet and the cost Rs, 3-15-2°34
4 per hundred maunds. But there is always a quantity of exca-
5 vated salt lying in the mine which is difficult to estimate, and
6 it is possible that when stock is finally taken in September,
7 the yield may be found to have been larger ‘than was first
8 estimated. The normal yield of a hundred cubic feet is
9 generally taken to be 185 maunds,
10 Salt excavated at the smaller mines was paid for, as usual, Pxcavstion at the smaller”
11 bv weight, and the following figures show the outturn :— a
12 1898-99. 1899-1900.
13 Mds. Mds.
14 Warcha Mine see ied oes .. 77,460 1,02,044
15 Narpur Mine a pre yee ve = 4,195 3,221
16 > Kélabagh Quarries oe an wee 1,22,996 1,53,223
17 Total we, 2,04,651 2,58,488
18 ‘The usual rate of Rs. 3-12-0 for every hundred maunds of
19 salt issued was paid at the -Warcha and Nurpur mines. At
20 Warcha the salt is delivered by the miners in a storeyard
21 at the mine mouth, about 250 feet from the nearest working.
22 Each miner has his own heap in the storeyard, and as the
23 salt is removed to the Government scales at the depot it is
24 weighed roughly by hand scales and on this weighment the
25 amount payble to each miner is calculated. The rate paid
26 at the Kdlabagh quarries, of Rs. 4 per hundred maunds, conti-
27 nued throughout the year, but it has been found necessary to
28 raise it to Rs. 4-2-0 per hundred maunds with effect from the
29 Ist April 1900. The salt has to be carried a considerable
30 distance by the miners from the quarries to the depdt on the
31 bank of the Indus, and the labour and expense involved are
32 considerable. The work is undertaken by the miners, who
33 make their own arrangements for transport animals, and a
34 small increase in the combined rate paid for excavation and
35 transport became necessary.
36 26. The following figures show the salts of salt in the Trade : :
37 cis-Indus Mines Division during the past two years. The Sms and issues of.salé.
38 sale price continued to be nine pies a maund, and there was no
39 change in the charge, six pies a maund, made on the salt of the
40 Mayo Mine to cover the cost of its delivery at the Khewrah
41 Railway Station. ,
42 | 1898-99, |1899-1900. | Difference.
43 Sales of salt.
44 Mds. Mads. Mds.
45 a é Pn ¢ Through traffic sales .,. | 19,80,316 | 20,90,977 |-+1,10,661
46 Khewra (Warthganj) Depot .. 4 Ordinary trade ... | 41,396 | 30,767 | —10,629
47 Total lo 20,21,712 | 21,21,744 +1,00,032
48 Warcha Depét —. +. Ordinary trade a 77,827 | 4,05,508 | +27,681
49 Nurpur ” Mee ae Ditto dee 4,195 3,221 ~— 974
50 Kélab&gh ,, eva wee Ditto eis 1,19,819 1,60,766 | +40,947
51 Granp Toran _... | 22,238,558 | 23,91,239 |+1,67,686
52 There was an increase at the Khewrah, Warcha and Kald4-
53 bagh depéts owing to the general expansion of the trade of the
54 division. The Nurpur Depot supplies salt for local consump-
55 tion only; and the decrease in sales from it was apparently
56 due to the scarcity in the surrounding country in consequence
57 of the failure of the monsoon of 1899.
58 ( 21 )