Page 464 - Gulf Precis (VII)_Neat

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Tho salt fish is paoked for exportation in what aro tormod “Nungs ” -which
▼ary in sizo and value according to tho size and quality of tho lish, somo
“ Nungs *’ contain COO lish, somo only CO, and thus value ranges from two to
eight Rupees. A duty of from two annas and eight pics to three annas on
each Nung is levied.
I Salt fish for tho intorior is taxed by tho camel load. Each camel load four
to five annas.
Tho following is an estimate of tho revenuo realized by tho taxation of the
fish trade.
Its.
Tax of -jV on fresh fish .... 1,000
Export duty on 10,000 Nungs, salt 1,700
Inland duty on 3,000, of nearly 8 per cent. 1,200
Export duty on fish roo ... 400
Ditto on Shark fins • 400
Ditto Fish oil 120
Total . . 4,820

Matting and mat bags are taxed at tho rate of one anna four pies per
package.
Fresh dates and other fruit brought from the interior are subject to a duty
of about 4 per cent.
The preceding aro the regular Customs duties imposed by the Sultan of
Muscat, and which the farmer of the revenue is authorized to exaot.
The present fanner or rather sub-farmer bought the lease at the rate of
C,250 Reals, or about 11,150 Rupees per annum, from Jewundass Gopaldass
Mowjee of Muscat. His expenses in collecting the dues may bo put at
Rs. 1,000. He is further charged with its payment of the Governor and his
establishment amounting to 600 Reals, or 1,400 Rupees, yearly. Jewundass
Gopaldass, if I have been correctly informed, obtained the lease from His
Highness Syud Thoweynee for 3,600 Reals, or 7,650 Rupees a year, hut of this
I am not certain. The lease was for three years, and that term having lately
expired it will be re-sold to the highest bidder.
In addition to the regular Customs, the Sultan has, for tho past three
years, derived a small sum from a special duty imposed on Pesh leaves, mat­
ting and mat bags brought from the interior. This separate branch of the
Customs is also farmed out. The farmer, a Khojah merchant, paying 250 Reals
a year, and according to his own account, collecting 400 Reals, probably much
more.
The only other source of revenue is a Dye monopoly, for which the Sultan
receives 100 Reals yearly.
The following table shows the probable amount of revenue actually
collected, working from the preceding estimates :—
Be.
Taxes on the produce of fisheries 4,820
Export duty on 2,000 koories of matting . . 166
Ditto on 10,000 bastas of mat bags . . 830
Ad valorem duty of four per cent, on other exports 3,800
Ditto on Imports................................. 7,200
Duty on fresh dates and fruit .... 40
16,856
Special tax on Pesh leaves, matting and bags. . • 1,000
Dye monopoly................................................. 212
Total amount of revenue collected , 18,008 i

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