4
No. 426, REVENUE, 2ND AUGUST 1898.
large number of which succumbed. The oldest trees suffered little as they are less
dependent: on surface moisture than young plants. The frosts which were more severe
than usual did comparatively little damage to the plantations.
(a) Dodabetta.—The
total rainfall on this estate was 52 44 inches, compared
with 65 52 inches registered during 1896–97. As evidence of the dryness of the
season, it may be mentioned that the average rainfall on this estate over a period of ten
years—from October to March—has been 22 02 itches, whereas the amount of rain
that fell during these months in the year under review was only 9 38 inches.
(b) Nedivattam.—On
this estate 107 . 64 inches of rain fell during the year,
compared with a fall of 134 06 inches the year before. From November to the end of
March there were only ten days on which rain fell.
(c)
Hooker.—The rainfall on Hooker amounted to 93 90 inches as against
124 . 78 in the previous year.
II. FINANCIAL—( a ) Receipts.—The budget estimate of receipts fixed originally at
Rs. 1,00,000 was raised to Rs. 1,15,000 by the Accountant-General and subsequently
reduced by Government to Rs. 90,000 in G.O., No. 1010, Revenue, of 4th December
1897. The reduction was made in view of the lowering of the price of quinine
supplied. to medical stores and hospitals, from Rs. 18 to Rs. 11. The actual receipts
for the year amounted to Rs. 98,463–8–2, the details of which are given in
statement 2. Of the above total, Rs. 2,867–9–0 represent outstandiugs due at the
end of last year, so that the actual receipts appertaining to the year under review were
Rs. 95,59.5–15–2, while at the close of the year a sum of Rs. 1,949–6–0 was due to
the department from Local Fund dispensaries, Municipal hospitals, &amp;c., which, added
to the total given above, shows Rs. 97,545–5–2 as the value of the year's
transactions.
(b)
Expenditure.—The budget estimate of eapenditure was fixed originally at
Rs. 84,700, plus Rs. 100 for " stationery and printing," and was raised to Rs. 1,07,700,
plus Rs. 100 by an additional grant of Rs. 23,000 for the purchase of bark from pri-
vate growers. This was reduced to Rs. 1,02,000, plus Rs. 100 for printing, showing a
surrender of Rs. 5,700, which was accepted by Government in G.O., No. 228, Financial,
dated 4th March 1898. The actual expenditure for the year amounted to Rupees
95,244–8–7 plus Rs. 55–2–4 under " 30. Stationery and Printing," or a total of
Rs. 95,299–10–11 compared with Rs. 82,549 during 1896–97. The sum spent
on Head office and plantations was Rs. 47,008–10–4, while the expenditure incurred
on the purchase of 108,934 lb. bark from private growers and on the manufacture
and distribution of alkaloids amounted to Rs. 48,291–0–7. Omitting the sum of
Rs. 23,000 paid for bark supplied by private growers, the cost of the manufacture
and distribution of quinine and febrifuge was Rs. 25,291–0–7 against Rs. 28,929–12–0
last year. The cost of Head office and plantations which includes Rs. 1,000 spent on
new extensions at Hooker, was Rs. 47,008–10–4, compared with Rs. 49,387–15–1
during 1896–97. The net result of the year's operations is an excess of revenue over
expenditure of Rs. 3,163–13–3. This figure compares unfavourably with the surplus
obtained last year, but in view of the fact that the bulk of the quinine was sold during
the year at Rs. 11 per pound instead of Rs. 18 per pound as in the previous year, and
that Rs. 23,000 were spent in the purchase of bark, the small surplus may be considered
satisfactory. The loss to this department was a gain to the Medical Stores and hospitals
which have never before obtained their quinine at so low a figure as Rs. 11 per pound,
and the sum of Rs. 23,000 expended on bark obviated the necessity of taking crop
of an equivalent value from the plantations. To the figure given above as the total
expenditure of the year must be added a sum of Rs. 909–6–5, due by the department
for bark supplied so that the total expenditure to be debited against the department
for the year amounted to Rs. 96,299–1–4.
(c)
Financial returns.— The statements dealing with the financial position of
the department, viz., Nos. 2, 3, 10, 11 and 12, have been drawn up in the forms
approved by Government in G.O., No. 807, Revenue, of 24th September 1897.
Statement No. 10, which shows the receipts and charges of the Cinchona department
to the close of the year 1897–98, exhibits a surplus of Rs. 14,45,867 which may be