Identity area
Reference code
LK LK-NA LK-NA/ 68
Title
Salt Department
Date(s)
- 1890-1982 (Creation)
Level of description
Fonds
Extent and medium
Files 1-5643, Typed, Printed
Context area
Name of creator
Salt Department
(1890-1982)
Administrative history
From time immemorial the Salt Monopoly has been regarded in Ceylon as a Royal Prerogative, and there was a quite a flourishing Salt Industry in Ceylon during Portuguese and Dutch times. Ceylon was an exporter of salt. But during the British period the industry suffered an eclipse and Ceylon began importing salt, fairly regularly. Because of this bad circumstances, Government decided in 1919 to reorganise the industry. In July an officer from Madras was accordingly appointed salt advisor to Government for a period of five years in the early 1920's two slaterns were established (Elephant pass and Palavi) and run by the government.
There were three main Centres of Salt manufacture in Ceylon, Hambantota, Puttalam Salterns, and at Elephant Pass. Other minor manufacturing centres were at Mannar, Chiviyater and Nilaveli. Dozens of Salterns have succumbed to the march of time and for one reason or another have gone out of productions upto 1957 the Salt Industry was controlled by the Govt.Salt Dept.headed by the Salt Commissioner under the Salt Ordinance, No.4 of 1941. Experience through the years had demonstrated the difficulty in successfully carrying out an industry by a Govt.Department, which has to work in accordance with financial and administrative regulations of the Government. In 1957 the National Salt Corporation was created under the State Industrial Corporations Act, No.49 of 1957
There were three main Centres of Salt manufacture in Ceylon, Hambantota, Puttalam Salterns, and at Elephant Pass. Other minor manufacturing centres were at Mannar, Chiviyater and Nilaveli. Dozens of Salterns have succumbed to the march of time and for one reason or another have gone out of productions upto 1957 the Salt Industry was controlled by the Govt.Salt Dept.headed by the Salt Commissioner under the Salt Ordinance, No.4 of 1941. Experience through the years had demonstrated the difficulty in successfully carrying out an industry by a Govt.Department, which has to work in accordance with financial and administrative regulations of the Government. In 1957 the National Salt Corporation was created under the State Industrial Corporations Act, No.49 of 1957
Repository
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Fields of activities Cadre, Cadre of Salt Department (1930-1964), Correspondence, Salt Corporation correspondence with High Commissioner for Ceylon in India. (1958-1959) Miscellaneous Circulars, Salt Corporation form other government departments (1940-1967), Minute office Minute (1950); Organisation charts, general treasury done to staff officers level (1957) Survey, correspondence between Salt Corporation (1920-1967), Administration matters, Corre.between minister of local administration (1919-1966), Census, of Govt. Industries (1945-1953); Foreign aid, Corre. between Salt Corporation & and Salt Supply Department regarding permits to clear salt. (1939-1969), Tenders correspondence chairman between tender board regarding tenders. (1916-1969), Indian Labours, correspondence between salt technologist and salt supply dept.reg.leave to Indian Labors (1937-1965), Labour Colonization scheme (1948-1951), Inspection reports salters (1916-1966); Salt Manuval, corre. between A.G.A. Manner and Salt adviser suggestions & proposals reg.salt manual (1937-1964) Productions; Corre. between Salt Corporations & Salt supply Dept.re.salt production (1899-1969), Sessional Paper re.report of the salaries committee (1946-1964); Training courses; corre.Commissioner of Salt Corporation & Director of Technical collage re.training courses to officers (1945-1964), Treasury Circulars corre.between Salt Corporation and Secretary treasury re.treasury circulars, (1913-1968); Welfare works, corre.Salt Corporation re.welfare society (1913-1968), Reports corre.between Salt Corporation & Supply dept.re.report of the board of directors (1920-1983); Salt Industries; corre.between Salt Corporation & Salt Industries re.Salt Industries of Ceylon (1915-1965), Govt.Insurance fund, corre.between Director of Industries & secretary of Finance re.Govt.Insurance Fund (1949-1958); Trading accounts; series No.31 1964 (1985); Rent & Retail Systems, corres.between G.A.Jaffna & Colonial Secretary re.Salt rent & retail systems (1903-1923); Vesting of Crown Land, corre.between salt corre.and salt supply dept. Hambantota re.vesting of crown land (1949); Audit Reports, Audit Inspection report of matters (1921-1964) Agricultural salt, corre.between Salt Corporation and salt technologist re.supply of agriculture salt. (1953-1966), Appointments, general appointments (191501965), work on public holidays, corre.between Salt Corporation & Salt Supply Dept.re.work on public holidays for daily paid worker (1946-1965); Weekly salt sales, statements of salters (1925-1965); water supply, corre.between salt corre. & salt supply dept.re. Water Supply (1923-1965), Unions & Societies Minute of the committee meetings of the Govt.Salt Dept.Minor Employees Association (1939-1967), Uniforms, Corres.Salt Supply dept.& Salt Corporation re.uniforms (1922-1965) Trolley tracks, corre.between Salt Cor.& salt Supply Dept. re.trolley tracks at salters(1920-1966); Transport of salt, corre.between salt cor.& salt supply dept.re.transport of salt supply dept.(1911-1967), Thefts corre.between salt cor.& salt supply dept.re.lossers upper supply dept.(1946-1964); Table salt.corre.between salt cor.& salt supply dept.re.matters re.table salt factory (1946-1966); Supply of subtle, corre.between salt cor.& salt supply dept re.rubble supply to lawyers (1933-1964); Supply of timber, corre.between Salt Corre.& conservation of forests re.supply Dept.re miscellanious requirements of supply dept.(1930-1966); Supply of chalk, corre.between Salt Cor.& Salt Supply Dept.re.statements of salt received into stored on account (1954-1965); Supply of bags & baskets,corre.between salt cor.& salt supply dept.re.import of baskets & purchases of gummy bags (1922-1968); Stores, corre.between salt cor.& salt supply dept.re.salt stores (1912-1964), Supply of cadjoins, corre. between salt cor.& chairman tender board re.supply of cadjan to salt dept. (1936-1966); Standing Orders, corre.between Salt Cor.& Salt Supply Dept.re.standing orders. (1919-1965), Staff Officers conference, notes of staff conference, shortages, corre.between Salt Cor.& Supply Dept.re.shortages of Salt and etc. (1932-1954); Salters Weekly reports (1920-1966), Salters daily reports; (1947-1965), Salt wastages, corres.between Salt Cor.& Salt Supply Dept.re.wastages of salt (1921-1964), statements of Salt Revenue, (1919-1964), Salt Harvest, corre.between Salt Cor.and Salt Supply Dept.re.Salt harvest (1932-1963), Annual Statements, Salt Dept.annual statement of work (1951-1955), Salt Orders, corre.with Salt supply Dept.re.forwarded salt orders (1956-1966); Salt for fish curing, corre.between Salt Cor.& Salt Supply Dept.re.sale of Salt to fish curries (1936-1962); Accounts corre. between Chief Accountant & Salt Supply Dept.re.salt accounts (193601967); Sale of salt, corre.between direction of Industries & General Manager re.whole sale trading in salt (19 3-1967); Salaries salaries of officers (1923-1967), Tide Readings, (1945-1965), Effect of Rainfall corre.between Salt Cor.& Salt Supply Dept.re.effect of rainfall on salters (1945-1949); Rock Salt, corre.between salt corre.& directors of companies re.iodised salt. (1943-1961); Roads & Wells corre.between salt cor.& Salt Supply Dept. re.construction of roads (1945-1963); Refined salt, corre.between salt cor.& salt supply dept.re.refined salt (1945-1948), Pumps, Miscellaneous correspondence between salt cor.& companies re.purchase of pumps (1920-1966), Publications, corres.between salt cor.& salt supply dept.re.miscellaneous publications (1920-1966), Provident Fund, corre.between salt cor.& personnel secretary provident fund re.application of salt dept.employees award under provident fund (1929-1962), Promotions, corres.between salt cor.& secretary Govt.salt officers union re.scheme of recruitment and promotions (1933-1967), Plaster of Paris, corre.between salt cor.& manager ceramic factory re.supply of plaster paris (1913-1965), Miscellaneous correspondence, corres.between salt cor.& salt supply dept.re.miscellaneous subjects (1930-1966), Manufacture of Salt, corres.between salt cor.& Salt Supply Dept.re.manufacture of salt (1914-1965), Equipment, corre.between salt cor.& supply dept.re.machineries of the salt cor.(1914-1966), Latrines, corre.between salt cor.and Salt Supply Dept.re.provide of water seal latrines (1947-1961), Supply of salt, corre.between salt supply dept.& Director of Industries re.supply of salt (1924-1964), Issue Orders corre.between salt cor.& Customs re.issue of salt (1935-1965); Requisition for articles, cor.between salt cor.& Salt supply Dept.re.Development & Improvements (1915-1963), Imported Salt corre.bet.salt cor.and controller of imports re.imports (1914-1967), Govt.Gazette, corre.bet.salt cor.& Govt.Printer re.printing binding & Gazette selection (1940-1968) ; Register of files, corre.between salt cor.& Govt.Printer re.general ledges (1925-1964), Estimates, corre.between salt cor.& salt supply dept.re.annual estimates (1921-1968), Electricity supply, corre.bet.Assistent Accountant, Salt cor.re.supply of electricity to govt.salters (1939-1967), Duties, corre.between salt cor.& salt supply dept.re.duties of employees (1949-1966), Draft estimates, of the salt dept. (1927-1964) natural salt, corre.bet.Director of Industries and Salt Corporation re.denatured salt (1921-1966), Custom duties of salt dept. (1944-1964), Handling rebate, corre.chief accountant & salt technologist re. handling rebate. (1950-1964), Crushed salt, statements re.to crushed salt, (1948-1960); Confidential reports, corre.between salt cor.& salt dept.re.annual confidential reports of staff officers (1901-1966), Task rates, corre.salt cor.& salt supply dept.re.task rates (1956-1961), Circuit programme, of the staff of the salt dept. (1948-1966), Band reservoir (1921-1964), Buildings salterns, corre.between salt corre.& salt supply dept.re.Building Maintenance (1905-1965), Smuggling, coping of customs cases re.smuggling, of bodies etc. (1945-1946), Papers, papers to be handed over to audit officers (1962-1963), Flood relief, corre.between salt corre.& finance assistance treasury re.flood relief construct and rehabilitation (1959-1962), Independence Celebrations, Corre.permanent secretary Ministry of health and independence commemoration celebration (1960), Economic development, corre.between salt cor.& supply dept.re.economic & transport development (1957-1966), Technical, corre.salt supply dept.& salt corre.& secretary Industries Home & Cultural Affairs re.development of major parts (1960), Benevolent fund, The Govt.Surveyors Association benevolent fund, (1953-1954), National Income, corre.between salt supply dept.re.information for national income (1948-1981), Fuel corre.between salt cor.& Salt Supply Dept.re.corporation officers of the salt dept.on various subjects (1949-1967), Colombo Plan Exhibition corre.salt cor.& salt supply dept.re.propaganda work & Colombo Plan exhibition (1946-1956), Analysis Analysis of salt collected in 1936(1936); Protection, corre.salt cor.& salt supply dept.re.sea erosion protection (1959-1965), Report Report on the possibility of Industrial Development of Jaffna Lagoon (1951); Ministry meetings, results (1949-1950); Boats, corre.between salt cor.& salt supply dept.re.padda boats (1946), Accidents, corre.be.salt cor.& salt supply dept re.an accident to of Salt Corporation (1942-1967)
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Open
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
- English
- Sinhala
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Salt Department (Creator)
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
ISAD(G)
Status
Final
Level of detail
Minimal
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English
Script(s)
- Latin
Sources
International Council on Archives Guide to the Sources of Asia History Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka II (Vol 1), National Archives of Sri Lanka, 1996.