1 0
2 SALT REVENUE DEPARTMENT FOR THE OFFICIAL YEAR 1Qo!-Igo2.
3 and there was an increase of maunds 17,349 in the refined ° INTERNAL
4 produce. This was owing to a slightly better demand for BRANCH.
5 saltpetre in the’markets. As a consequence of more extended
6 refinery operations, there was an increase of maunds 6,820 in
7 the quantity ‘of purified salt educed, and of maunds 22,858 in
8 the outturn of szf¢a (impure saltpetre salt). The percentages
9 of refined saltpetre and salt on crude saltpetre worked up
10 were 54°07 and 23'70, respectively, as compared with 55°67
11 and 21°85 in 1900-01,
12 There was a decrease of maunds 9,806 in the quantity of
13 sitfa excised owing to the excise fee having been raised from
14 eight annas to one rupee a maund with effect from the 1st
15 July 1901 under the orders of the Government of India in the
16 Department of Finance and Commerce, communicated in letter
17 ‘No. 3332-S.R., dated the 20th June 1901. The reason for
18 ®* raising the fee was explained in the report for 1900-01. Khari
19 (impure sulphate of soda) has resumed its position to some
20 eatent as an agent for-the curing of hides and skins.
21 * Maunds 1,879 of sztta are said to have been used during
22 the year in curing maunds 17,340 of beef for export to Burma,
23 as compared with maunds 12,893 cured in tgoo-o1. The.
24 dealers in this cured beef are reluctant to disclose statistics
25 of their trade, and the figures given may be taken as indica-
26 tions merely. It is curious to note that the increase in the
27 excise fee has caused the price of s##éa used in this beef
28 curing business to rise from Rs. 1-8-0 to Rs. 2 a maund. The
29 enhancement in the fee is therefore borne entirely by the
30 consumer.
31 . : : Import and export trade
32 57. There was a slight improvement in the saltpetre trade Import and export trade
33 during the year. The imports into Calcutta were in excess of _petre,
34 thosd of 1900-01 by maunds 61,182, and exports by sea were jppendix XIU,
35 better by maunds 16,514. The industry is, however, still in
36 a so newhat depressed and unsettled condition.
37 58. There were no differences of any importance as com- Prices of salt.
38 pared with 1900-01 in the wholesale prices of salt in the Appendix XIv.
39 areas with which the Department is concerned. The rates of
40 retail sale, recorded by the Statistical Bureau, show that in
41 the areas supplied by the Department fluctuations have not
42 exceeded a few pies per maund. The largest difference in
43 these prices as compared with 1g00-01 was a fluctuation of
44 one anna and ‘ten pies a maund in the Province of Behar,
45 which obtains the greater part of its salt supply from Calcutta,
46 imported from abroad.
47 59. A refund of duty, amounting to Rs. 1,718-9-0 on Refunds of duty on salt
48 maunds 687-17 of salt used in the manufacture of soap used for industrial
49 (against Rs. 2,047-2-6 on 818-34-8 maunds inthe previous — P™P°**
50 year), was given during the year to the North-West Soap
51 Company at Meerut. The conditions of the concession were
52 duly observed by the Company.
53 No salt was used during the year by Messrs. Schréder
54 Smidt & Co. for curing hides and skins under the cone
55 cession held by them.
56 The Delhi Oil and Soap Company failed to execute the
57 agreement relating to the concession granted to them in
58 1900-01, and the arrangement has consequently fallen
59 through,
60 60 Maunds 1,07,573 of salt, which had paid duty, were Import of salt from
61 Thibet and export
62 exported during the year across the frontier of the United = hiet and’ export
63 Provinces to Nepal and other places, as compared with inces to Nepal and
64 ¢ es ) other places,
65 -