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COLONIAL REPORTS—MISCELLANEOUS.
Income of Principal Chiefs.
There is no precise inf ormation. The Emir of Bauchi receives
£1,738 in addition to gado, kurdin sarauta, and fines and
presents, while Combe receives £350.
Realization.
It is optional to pay in coin, cowries, or grain, and some
districts pay in cotton, others in horses, cattle, or mats. A
considerable part is also paid in cash. “ Kind ” is advantage
ously realised by auction, cowries = 1,200 to Is., and grain £d.
per lb.
Basis.
It has not been possible to visit every town, but the assess
ment so far as it has been completed' has been made on the best
native information carefully sifted, and this is being gradually
checked and verified. Every detail has been considered, and
the tax can be paid without straining the resources of the
people. The general basis is about 10 per cent, on the wealth
of the people. In the pagan areas it is calculated upon the
compounds or families, a percentage being added for the
wealth of the village in cattle, &c. In the Mohammedan
districts it is based on the old taxes.
Results.
The Emir of Bauchi and his chiefs have given every assist
ance in the reform, and they realise its advantages. The jaba
das and tax-farmers, who are now abolished, are not, of course,
well pleased. No trouble has arisen from this decentralization,
and none is likely to occur. The peasantry are pleased that
the tax is so moderate, and at the abolition of former abuses.
There is no discontent, and no extortion is anticipated. The
latter has been rendered difficult by the issue of assessment
lists in English, Arabic, and Hausa, and the villagers recognise
and avail themselves of the right of appeal to the Resident in
case of excessive demands. The Resident says that no conceiv
able scheme could have enabled him to get into touch with the
people, and understand the system of native administration as
this has done. The pagan tribes, now taxed for the first time,
do not, of course, welcome it, but no difficulty is anticipated.