---

Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 16, p. 80.

86 KYA UKSE DISTRICT round each holding, the area being calculated by squaring half the circumference thus obtained. No effective check was made of the surveyors' work, and they were at liberty to estimate the area as they pleased. From the estimated area the demand was from 6 to 2o bas- kets of paddy per pe (1-q5 acres) on irrigated crops, 3 to 6 baskets per pe on `dry' ya (upland) crops, ro baskets from the second year's plantain crop, 4o baskets from the third year's, and 3o baskets from sugar-cane. There were fourteen revenue circles, each under a segyi, who collected the paddy revenue in his own canal tract with the assis tance of village headmen and myothugyis. The revenue so collected amounted in average years to g58,ooo baskets. In 1246 B. E. (A.D. 1884) king Thibaw farmed out the District for a stipulated sum to an official, who in turn sublet tracts to various contractors. Matters were found at this stage at the time of annexation. In 1888 temporary rates of assessment were sanctioned, as the District was almost depopulated, and had hardly begun to recover from-the disturb- ances following annexation. They were considerably lower than those imposed by the Burmese, and the consequence was that a sudden and pronounced increase took place in the area brought under cultivation. The next year a cadastral survey and settlement were taken in hand; and rates were sanctioned in 1893. All rice lands were. divided into five classes, based on the relative facilities of irrigation, and the land rates were fixed at Rs. 6, 5, 4s 3, and 2 per acre. For other crops the following special rates per acre were fixed : betel-vines, Rs. 20 ; sugar- cane and areca palms, Rs. 12 ; plantains (full grown) and Goa beans, Rs. 8 ; orchards, tobacco, onions, chillies, turmeric, yams, tomatoes, gram, and wheat, Rs: 3 ; and sesamum, plantains (young), and all other crops, Rs.1-8 per acre. This settlement was sanctioned provision- ally for five years, subject to such revision as might be found necessary from time to time, and its rates are still in force. Supplementary survey followed immediately on settlement, and in time accurate agri- cultural statistics became available. A revision survey and settlement was commenced in 1902, and has recently been completed. Revenue is assessed only on crops which have matured; and where two crops of rice are taken off any field in one year, the revenue on that field for the second crop is assessed at one-half the full rate. On unirrigated non-state lands the rates of assessment are three-fourths, and on irrigated non-state lands seven-eighths, of the state land rates given above. The rates for irrigated lands include water rate. The table on the next page illustrates the growth of the revenue of the District since 1890-1. The figures are given in thousands of rupees. After land revenue, thathameda is the most important item of receipt. It brought in rather more than a lakh and a half in 1903-4.