14
26. The hamlet of Modikhana is situated to the north-west of the Can
- t o n m e n t , w h i c h w a s a l s o n o t a s c l e a n a s i t s h o u l d b e , a n d w h e r e p u b l i c p r i v y
accommodation is also required. Its present condition is a source of danger to
the officers and residents in the station, and it should be more carefully looked
after.
27. I also inspected the Police Lines, which are situated to the west of the
city near the position of the old Pandharpur and Hiraj roads and close to the
perennial canal from the Ekruk Tank. On the north side of the lines the em
- b a n k m e n t o f t h e c a n a l i s n o t s u f f i c i e n t l y h i g h , a n d t h e w a t e r f l o w s o v e r t h e
ground and forms a dangerous marsh close to them, and the water in this swamp
ebbs and flows according to the height of the water in the canal. This will
prove a source of great danger to the police sepoys, and the embankment should,
in my opinion, be raised so as to restrain the water within the channel of the
canal. It is a great pity that the canal was brought so close to the lines, as
doubtless infiltration takes place along either side of its bank, and it will in
course of time render the floors of the pendalls damp, and may eventually cause
them to be abandoned. The lines consist of two rows, each containing 60 huts,
which are not provided with any means of ventilation. This Could be easily
given by making openings in the roof similar to those provided for the escape
of smoke in cook-rooms. There are 9 sowars attached to the force, and these
men are allowed to keep their horses in the verandahs of their houses, and as no
drains are provided, the urine soaks into the ground. The horses should be
either picketted outside, or be placed under a shed in the compound. The pre
- s e n t a r r a n g e m e n t i s m o s t i m p r o p e r a n d o b j e c t i o n a b l e . T h e r e a r e n o l a t r i n e s ,
and the residents in the lines walk across the canal out into the fields on the
other side for the purposes of nature, which is, perhaps, the best arrangement that
can be made where there is no establishment allowed for the maintenance of a
staff for cleaning latrines; but I think there ought to be no difficulty in arrang
- i n g f o r p r o p e r t r e n c h l a t r i n e s a n d t h e r e q u i s i t e s t a f f f o r k e e p i n g t h e m c l e a n .
The floors of the huts are nearly on the same level with the ground, and from
each row the bathing water is led from the name in the corner of the verandah.
It is very desirable that nanees inside sepoys' huts should be prohibited, and that
detached lavatories for each sex should be erected in convenient sites close to
the lines.
28. The accounts of the Municipality will be found in the Appendix, by
which it will be seen that at the close of the year ending 31st March 1876, there
was a balance of Rs. 17,514, and that the expenditure during the year had
amounted to Rs. 59,695, whilst the income during the same period was 55,470.
When the Municipality was first established, its revenue only amounted
to Rs. 18,503. At the time of the Census in 1872, the rate of municipal
taxation per head of population was Rs. 0-14-3; in Ahmednagar Rs. 1-1-7; in
Poona Rs. 1-1-1. In Kurrachee, a city of almost exactly similar population, it
amounted to Rs. 4-14-8. The trade of Sholápur is increasing, and I was glad
to see that a new spinning and weaving mill belonging to Messrs. Morarjee
Goculdass and Co. was nearly completed.
29. The following return shows the number of summons issued and con
-victions obtained for infringement of the provisions of the Municipal Act:—
Summons.
Convictions.
1872 . . .
29 . . .
20
1873 . . .
81 . . .
67
1874 . . .
72 . . .
57
1875 . . .
110 . . .
102
30. The birth and death registration in the City is effected under the
orders of the police, but it is, in my opinion, entirely untrustworthy and much
requires remodelling. In 1874 only 871 births, equal to 16.32 per 1,000 of popu
-