1S39] 



On the Statistics of Dukhun. 



425 



on,* which far exceeds that in the other collectorate, (i. &]-\\ d'ch 

 per cent, of the whole lands, leaving on'y 38 89 decls. per cent, of 

 waste,) but to the lowness of its land assessments, amounting only to 

 2 o.r. 94 reas per beegah, inchiding all extras falling on the land. 

 The process by which this average assessment was struck is as 

 follows. In I S27, agreeably to the population returns, the land inoc- 

 cupation of a cultivator averaged 32'7'i decls. acres, or 43'65 decls. 

 beegahs ; in 1829, in the Jummabundy settlement, there were 60.701 

 cultivators, which, multiplied by 43*65 r/ec/.v. gives 2,(:49,598. 65 decls. 

 beegahs of land under cultivation. These divid'>d into the land reve" 

 nue, 1,9!5.323 rupees, 2 qr. 8 reas, give 294 reas per beegah, a low rate, 

 which neither the examination of village accounts, nor a similar pro- 

 cess, will give in Poona, Ahmednuegur, nor Khandesh.b This light 

 assessment, equal only to ]s. \l^d. per acre, is ccrtainlj'' advantageous 

 in. insuring the realization of the revenue ; but when put into compari- 

 son with the rent of land in England, shows the unproductive and limit- 

 ed character of Indian agricultural resources. 



The Sahyer branch of the revenue is highly favourable, amounting to 

 nearly 14 per cent, of the vliole, and, though so productive, falls as a 

 lax lighter on hulividuals than in Khandesh. The customs, being 2 

 per cent, lower than in Khandesh and Ahmednuggur, is at variance with 

 the tolerably efficient character of the general resources of theDharwar. 



From the examination of village jjapers I find that remissions were 

 very rare under native governments, and the facility with which they 

 are granted under the British government, and their magnitude, testify 

 strongly to its paternal character. Great caution, however, is requisite 

 in granting them, not less on account of the government than on ac- 

 count of the cultivator himself. If obtained with facility, and without 

 rigid and sharp examinations, and some personal inconvenience to the 

 applicant, (from the habitual indolence of the native character,) his or- 

 dinary industry, which always requires stimulating, would be paralyz^ 

 ed, applications multiplied, labour diminished, and the farmer would 

 trust to the forbearance of government rather than to his own exertions. 

 There is another reason for caution in the strong motives that the native 

 agents have for urging remissions, with a view to intercept them in the 

 transit of accounts through their hands. 



The collector cannot possibly personally ascertain the truth of one^ 



a 2,308,004 acies in 18i7. 



b Ahmednuggur 1 rupee, 95 reas ; Nuggur and Poona, partial average, 3 or* .'';8 reas 5 

 Jdjandesli 1 rupee, 2 qy. 30 leas per beegah. 



