214
BĎKAIVER STATE
suits not exceeding Rs. 500 in value. The mizims hear appeals against
the decisions in civil or criminal cases of the lower courts, are themselves
magistrates of the first class, and decide suits not exceeding Rs. 1o,ooo
in value. The Appellate Court hears all appeals against the decisions
of ndzims, tries civil suits beyond their powers, and on the criminal side
can pass a sentence of ten years' imprisonment. The council is the
highest appellate court of the State, and has powers of revision in certain
cases; it deals with all murder cases, 'submitting them with its opinion
to the Mahdrdjâ, who alone can pass sentence of death. In addition
to these tribunals, there are courts of honorary magistrates at the capital
and the town of Nohar, and a Munsif's court at the capital. The
former have the powers of second-class magistrates, and decide petty
civil suits relating to immovable property, while the latter can try suits
not exceeding Rs. 500 in value.
The normal revenue of the State is about 26 lakhs, and the expendi-
ture about z 1 lakhs. The chief sources of revenue are: land (including
irrigation), 6•7 lakhs; customs, 6 lakhs; railway (including telegraphs),
about 6 lakhs ; judicial (including court-fees, stamps, &c.), 1•4 lakhs ;
minerals (including Rs. 6,ooo paid by Government under the Salt agree-
ment of 1879), 1•5 lakhs; and tribute from jdgirdârs, about 3 lakhs.
The main items of expenditure are : privy purse and household, 3•4
lakhs ; cost of administrative staff (civil and judicial), 2-4 lakhs ; rail-
way, 2.6 lakhs ; army, z-4 lakhs ; public works, z lakhs ; police, 1•1
lakhs ; medical department, including municipalities, Rs. 75,000 ;
and customs, Rs. 50,000. The financial position is sound; there are
no debts.
The State had formerly a silver and copper coinage of its own, the
privilege of coining having been granted by the Delhi emperor about
the middle of the eighteenth century; but on February 16, 1893, an
agreement was concluded between the Darbâr and the Government of
India, under the Native Coinage Act, IX of 1876, and, in accordance
therewith, io lakhs of Bikaner rupees were made legal tender by being
recoined at Bombay, and in 1895 copper coins were struck for the State
at the Calcutta mint and put into circulation. Under the agreement,
the Darbâr, among other things, abstains from coining silver and copper
in its own mint for a period of thirty years.
There are two main tenures in the State: namely, hhdIsa, or land
under the direct management of the Darbâr; and land held by grantees,
whether individuals or religious institutions. In the hhâlsa area, except
in the Tibi villages where the zaminddrs have transferable rights, the
proprietary right in the land as a rule belongs to the Darbâr, and the
cultivator's right of occupancy depends on his ability to meet the demand
for revenue. Some of the land held by grantees is revenue-free, while
for the rest a fixed sum is paid yearly or service is performed. The
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