1G6 Tin-: }I1G1ILAXI)8 OF CENTRAL INDIA. 



was withdrawn. Liquor was allowed to be distilled 

 only at certain central places, and on payment of a fixed 

 and considerable still-head duty. A certain number of 

 retail shops only were allowed, sufficient in number and 

 position to supply all the proper requirements of the 

 people, and capable of being regulated by the police, 

 without forcing temptation in the way of the less 

 provident classes. The licenses for this restricted 

 number of shops were let by public auction. Now came 

 a just retribution on the whole race of Kulars. There 

 were far more of them engaged in the liquor-trade than 

 were required to man these shops ; all were wealthy and 

 reckless ; and also jealous of each other ; and so a 

 strong competition for the licenses set in among them. 

 Fabulous sums were bid at the auctions -in many cases ; 

 and everywhere the price of liquor was so forced up by 

 this and the heavy still-head duty that the poorer 

 classes could no lons^er afford to drink it in excessive 

 quantity. Sales thus diminished, while the expenses of 

 a shop were largely increased ; and the result was the 

 almost universal ruin of the Kulars, and the complete 

 breaking up of their system of traffic. The gold orna- 

 ments they had flaunted to the world gradually 

 disappeared, and many of them ended in utter 

 bankruptcy. It may, perhaps, be regretted that a less 

 sudden and seemingly oppressive method of curing the 

 canker that was eating into the frontier society did 

 not suggest itself ; but it is difficult to pity so vicious 

 and unscrupulous a tribe as these Kulars. Though the 

 consumption of liquor has fallen off immensely, the state 

 revenue has not suffered, the avowed object of getting 

 "the maximum of revenue with the minimum of 

 consumption " being fully attained. 



