40 



Description of the 



[No. 33, 



against these islands, a net surplus revenue averaging about 2,600 

 rupees per annum. 



Of the system unproductiveness of the coir monopoly, and the 



generally. position of Government receiving as it does large quan- 

 tities of raw produce, fortunately not of a very perishable nature, 

 which frequently lies on its hands upwards of a year after the pur- 

 chase money has been paid, and for which, were not a distant market 

 provided, probably scarcely higher prices than those prescriptively 

 fixed as payable to the producers would be obtained; these consider- 

 ations, and the irregularity and uncertainty of the fund from which 

 the present occasional surplus is obtained as shown in practice, seem 

 to have suggested to the officers in charge of the district for several 

 vears back, the idea that some change of system might be advisable. 

 The growth of coir on the coast has increased so much, that though 

 the quality of Laccadivy coir will always enable it to command bet- 

 ter prices than the coast grown article, the former prices will never 

 again be obtained and even a still further fall may occur. 



The following paras, are from Mr. Collector Cotton's Aumany 

 Report of 1835, and the same sentiments seem to have been adopted 

 by several Officers since. 



*' I see no reason why the Islanders should now be 

 Para. 31. , . ,/ , . , , . 



" assessed in so peculiar a manner, the inhabitants 



" should, I think, be allowed to trade in coir as well as any other 



" produce, and whatever revenue they may be considered liable to 



*' pay for the protection they enjoy, should be levied on their land or 



" in export duties. I do not mean however to recommend the im- 



mediate adoption of any measure which may cause distress to the 



Islanders." 



" The present price of coir in the market of Manga- 

 Para. 32. ^^^^ about 18 rupees per candy, which is nearly the 



" average amount of the three sorts as they are paid for by Go- 



vernment, but the Islanders would not be able to find an immedi- 



ate market for the whole of their coir even at a lower price if 

 " the Government discontinued to purchase it, and would no doubt 

 " suffer considerable difficulty. The Government having enjoy- 



ed all the advantages of high prices for many years, cannot now 

 " fairly call upon the Islanders to share in the loss of low prices, but 

 " I think a better system of assessment may be substituted for the 

 •« coir monopoly when circumstances render a change equitable to 



both parties." 



