1 KOHAT MINES.
2 Sales antl issues compar-
3 ed,
4 Distribution of salt over
5 areas of: consumption,
6 REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE NORTHERN INDIA
7 remitted thence in accordance with the former practice, under
8 escorts of peons and villagers in receipt of salt grants, to the
9 Kohat treasury. The depdt treasure rooms were insecure ;
10 the Bahadur Khel and Karak Depdts, in particular, were. near
11 the Waziri border, and considering the disturbed condition of
12 the border during the early part of the year and the character
13 of the escorts provided, it isa matter for congratulation that
14 there was no loss of treasure. In June 1899 there wasa
15 rumour that a band of Waziri outlaws had arranged to attack
16 the Bahadur Khel Depét, but nothing happened. In January
17 1898 the Government of the Panjab, in whose charge the mines
18 then were, directed, as the first step towards the introduction
19 of a change of system, that traders should he allowed the option
20 of paying money into Government treasuries instead of at the
21 mines. Only one such payment was, however, made, a sum of
22 Rs. 400 having been paid into the Bannu treasury in the month
23 of November 1899; and there was no prospect of a voluntary |
24 adoption of the general change desired. In these circumstances.
25 it became necessary to enforce payment of the duty into trea-
26 suries instead of at the mines, and in their letter No. 5700 S.R.,
27 dated the 15th December 1899, from the Department of
28 Finance and Commerce, the Government cf India directed that
29 the change should be introduced with effect from the 1st of
30 February 1900. Arrangements were immediately made for the
31 communication of this order to all persons concerned in the
32 Kohat salt trade, all treasuries and sub-treasuries trans-Indus
33 were authorized to receive payments on account of duty, and
34 the new system was brought into force on thedate fixed. No
35 difficulty of any kind has been experienced in connection with
36 the new procedure, and the trade appears to have adapted itself
37 to the altered conditions. The quantity of salt issued from
38 the depéts in February and March 1900 amounted to maunds
39 61,429 only, compared with maunds 1,27,925 in the same period
40 of 1899; but the quantity issued in the first four months of the
41 current year has been maunds 1,43,682 compared with maunds
42 96,943 in the first four months of 1899-1900.
43 During 1898-99 the sales and actual issues of salt were
44 identical, as the duty was paid throughout the year at the de-
45 pots. But as the following figures will show, a small dif-
46 ference between sales and issues occurred at the end of the
47 year under report, owing to some salt, on wnich duty had been
48 paid into treasuries, not having been cleared before the year
49 closed :—
50 Nds.
51 Sa]t on which duty was paid eee ove oe 3.73,269
52 s actually issued from the mines ,.. axe aes 3,70,738
53 Difference os 2,531
54 41. According to departmental bookings at the mines
55 the salt which issued was consigned to the following areas :—
56 1898-99. 1899-1900. Difference,
57 British Territory— Mds. Mds, Mds.
58 Peshawar District ik 1,811,183 1,67,193 13,990
59 Kohat Gatto... vat 23,519 27,624 + 4,105
60 Bannu ditto... ise 66,378 62,801 —~3,577
61 Derajot ditto .., ies 40,107 20,361 19,806
62 Total ws 9,11,247 2,77,979 — 33,268
63 Independent Territory—
64 Kabul ee we 40,421 7,907 —82,514
65 Swit a4 nf 98,148 70,260 — 27,288
66 Waziristin (Manzallai) ie 12,559 14,592 + 2,033
67 Total ve —-1,51,128 92,759 —58,869
68 GRanv Totar ww. 462,375 3,70,738 {1,637
69 a en anette
70 7)