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Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 15, p. 237.

ADMINISTRA 7ION 237 In 1896 the population suffered from a general rise in the prices of food. The early rains, however, were excellent, and the kharif did not fail. The hill tribes therefore suffered little, and West Khâ,n desh was free from the pinch of the high prices. Relief works were maintained for fourteen months, the workers reaching a maximum of 36,560 in April, 1897. In 1899 the failure of the rains affected all parts of the District, and the distress lasted for fourteen months. The kharif crop was a total failure and the rabi area was not sown, except in irrigated lands, there being no late rains. As early as October, 1899, the number on relief works exceeded 33,ooo. It advanced steadily till in March of 19oo it was 257,000, while the number on gratuitous relief was 13,ooo. From this it fell to 553 in February, 1901, rising again to 42,000 in July, rgoi, and falling to i,8oo in September. It is calculated that 79,ooo deaths occurred in excess of the normal during the period, and that 385,000 cattle died. The total cost was about 76 lakhs. Remissions amounted to 17 lakhs, and nearly 20 lakhs was granted in loans to agri- culturists. Locusts have sometimes visited Khândesh, but seldom in sufficient numbers to do much harm. In 1869 a large cloud crossed the Dis- trict from north to south, and in 1873 and 1878 they did some injury to the late crop. Rats in 1847-8, 1878-9, and in 1901-2 caused much havoc. The District is divided into seventeen tdlukas, in charge of three covenanted Civilians and two Deputy-Collectors. Of the there cove- nanted Civilians, one is Personal Assistant to the Administration. Collector, who has also an extra Deputy-Collector as daftarddr. There are four petty subdivisions or pethas : Parola, Bhadgaon, N avâ,pur, and Edalâbâ,d, in the tdlukas of Amalner, Pâchora, Nandurbâr, and Bhusâwal respectively. The formation of two separate Districts is referred to in the note on p. 225. The Mehwâ,s estates are included in the District for administrative purposes. The District and Sessions judge at Dhiilia is aided for civil business by ten Subordinate Judges. Criminal justice is administered by 50 Magistrates, including the District Magistrate. The commonest forms of crime are theft, house-breaking, and dacoity. On occupation by the British, 1,146 Government villages were found entirely deserted, besides 413 which were uninhabited but partly tilled by persons living in the neighbouring villages; only 1,836 villages were inhabited. The establishment of order and the advent of high prices soon caused a rapid increase in tillage and revenue. But a sub- sequent fall in prices checked improvement, and progress was slow for several years. After 1832 the improvement began to be more marked, and continued steadily up to 1852. One of the first measures of im- Q 2