1 14
2 reason 1 purpose limiting the timber operations to the supply of the demand
3 for sleepers, and bringing such of the stuck as is still at forest depots into the
4 market, till the balance on hand 1s reduced to at least one half what it i» at
5 present.
6 Heap I1.—Unreserved or District Forests.
7 77. During the year under report the license system has been in force
8 throughout the district, except on the hills bordering on
9 Berar, to which Major Loch purposes extending it, and
10 anticipates as the result an increase of Rs. 2,000 in the revenue therefrom.
11 There has been an increase in the revenue from family licenses, though the as-
12 sessment has remained the same as before. Major Loch attributes this increase
13 to the privileges conferred by the family licenso being more thoroughly under-
14 stood by the poorer classes, many of whom, having doubts as to the extent of the
15 privileges conferred by them, had previously preferred, obtaining regular licenses
16 for the removal of forest produce.
17 Nimar distriot
18 78. Regarding the operation of the family license system, Major Loch,
19 after mentioning the increase above referred to, writes as follows :—
20 “To the rich of course the payment of a rupee for every married couple an-
21 nually is nothing, but the lower castes, such as Balahis, Mahars, Bhils,
22 &c., who live together three and four families under one roof, and wha
23 combine their earnings and eat from one chula, as the Nimar phrase goes,
24 cannot understand the separate taxation of what is with them an unit.
25 Indeed the only complaints I have ever heard against the system are
26 directed to this failure.”
27 79. As yet the Deputy Commissioner has derived little or no assistance
28 from a Forest officer being posted to his district, as at the commencement of the
29 open season Mr. Cox, who had been nena to Nimar in October 1871, was com-
30 pelled from ill health to proceed to Europe, and it was not until March 1872
31 that another officer was available for the post.
32 80. There has been an increase in the gross revenue of this District for
33 1871-72 over that of the previous year, of Ks. 3,797.
34 81. During 1870-71 an elaborate scheme, framed after that in forcce in
35 : Nimar, was drawn up and put in practice by Captain
36 a da t e . e e e e
37 pene Brooke, the Deputy ne of the district. In this
38 scheme the forest requirements of the people were divided into the following
39 four classes :—
40 1st,—“ Nistar Ala,” or small timber for constructing ordinary village houses.
41 2nd,—“ Nistar Adna,” including thatching grass, leaves for roofing, firewood.
42 grass stored for feeding cattle, and bark for ropes.
43 ard,— Nistar Kastkar,” including wood for carts and agricultural implements
44 4th.—Cattle grazing.
45 The rates fixed for each class were as follows :—
46 Class I.—-6 annas por house,
47 » ILI.—3 annas per house,
48 » IILY.— 3 annas per plough.
49 » IV. Rs. 5 per 100 head.
50 The nght to collect mohwa and jungle fruits being leased separately,