Page:Gazetteer of the province of Oudh ... (IA cu31924024153987).pdf/238

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— BAH

160

exceedingly difficult to purchase land anywhere in this district at less than fifteen years' revenue, and far the larger number of properties would fetch considerably more than this. Municipalities have been established in Bahraich and Nanp^ra, and, so far as the experience of two years in the case of the raSric^mmiuils: former town, and one year in tha,t of the latter, justi-

have been worked with moderate succonsist of two loyal grantees, the agent of the E.aja-e-Eajgan of Kaptirthala, and several of the principal mahajans of the city. When sufficient confidence and sense of their responsibility shall have been acquired by these parties, it is probable that the committee wiU benefit by their opinions independently expressed, and be entitled to esteem itself a representative body. At present the view that is taken of town government by these gentlemen is somewhat onesided and self-interested, and all endeavours that have been made by the vice-president and the other official members to reach with taxation the' Banian and other well-to-do classes have been thwarted by the opposition of the commercial element while even those other members- of the committee who are more educated and enlightened, and from whom assistance might have been expected, have not been able to free themselves from the tendency which most men have to dislike and resist taxation which affects fy a judgment,

cess.

The

non-official

members who have been appointed

directly their

own

incomes.

Notwithstanding these difficulties, however, a great deal of good has been effected the conservancy establishment works mprovemen 3. ^^jj^ ^^^ ^-^^ ^^^^ ^-^^^ ^^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^^ ^^ ^^j^ ^iee^p the outside of the platter clean is certainly gaining ground.

^

The town police too are, it is believed, considered by the people to have rendered property much more secure than it was before a regular system of ward and watch was established. At present this is as much as we can expect, and if we can discern a decided improvement under the above two heads, the municipality may be said to be worth its salt.

The revenue

is

mainly realized from the octroi to Ks. 11,700 per annum. pilgrims to the shrine of

Revenue.

annual

fair yielded

more than Es.

collections,

which amount

A poll tax of half anna on Sayyad Salar

at the last

2,000.

There are two charitable dispensaries in the district, one at the sadr station and the other at Hisampur. The returns shew .

lapensanes.

For the

relief.

follows

^ steady increase in the number of applications for the average number of patients has been as

last four years