HC Deb 13 March 1884 vol 285 cc1342-3
MR. O'DONNELL

asked the Under Secretary of State for India, Whether his attention has been called to the following statement in a recent report of Mr. Pritchard of the Bombay Revenue Department:— The whole district of Ahmedabad has been farmed to a single individual for a period of three years on his guaranteeing a minimum annual revenue of Rs. 73,525; whether the acceptance by Government of the tender of this farmer of the drink traffic at Ahmedabad obliges the Government to afford him facilities for the spread of his trade among the population until at least he has recouped his annual payment of Es. 73,000, together with a reasonable profit; and, if this is the reason why, as stated in the Bombay Gazette— The collector encourages him by means of licences and the keeping open of shops at late hours and during the Holi festival, when the closing of shops was hitherto thought necessary from time immemorial for police reasons?

MR. J. K. CROSS

Sir, the arrangement referred to is connected with the introduction throughout the Ahmedabad district of the "Sadr Distillery" system. The holder of the Sadr Distillery undertakes to pay a "still-head" duty of two rupees a gallon on all liquor distillery, and not less in this case than Es.73,000 a-year. The facilities which Government give the contractor consist in the permission to sell the liquor, of which he has the monopoly of manufacture, in a certain number of shops. These shops numbered 54 in 1881 for a district with an area of 3,800 square miles and a population of 860,000—or one liquor shop for every 16,000 inhabitants. This number has been reduced since 1881. The consumption of the city of Ahmedabad—population about 120,000—was, in 1881, 27,000 gallons, with a tax of two rupees; against 35,000 gallons in 1879, when the tax was one rupee and one anna per gallon. In the whole district the consumption of spirits in 1881 was 47,000 gallons. I have not been able to trace the reference to The Bombay Gazette, and I may say that, in asking Questions on the authority of newspapers, it would be convenient if the hon. Member would give dates.