DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.68024#0347
339
3. With reference to paragraph 19 of the memorial, I have to state that it is very
seldom, so far as my knowledge or experience goes, that questions of Muhammadan law come
before the Courts in Coorg. Only one case, in which a point of Muhammadan law was involved,
has come before me from Coorg during the four years of my incumbency. There would be no
hesitation to apply Muhammadan law in questions of inheritance, succession, or marriage or
religious usage, so far as the civil courts are concerned with it, which arise among Muham-
madans, and the published treatises are sufficient for the guidance of the courts in the very few
cases in which such questions arise.
As the Chief Commissioner is aware, probably for the reason that there is no exclusively
judicial service in Coorg, the Judicial Commissioner has not
Paragraph 22 of the memorial. , ,, . . . . . c zn • i • o
° r been usually consulted in the selection ot officials m Coorg.
But no such condition as that alluded to in the paragraph under reference, viz., the possession
of an University degree, is imposed on candidates either for the office corresponding with
munsif or for pleadersbips.
5. I believe such Muhammadan population as there is in Coorg is taken up for the most
part with trade, agriculture, labour, and menial service. And, so far as I am aware, no claim
for official employment has been made by Muhammadans in Coorg. Such appointment would
probably be regarded with great disfavour by the Coorgs.
6. For the reasons given above, the appointment of Muhammadan Judges can hardly be
required in Coorg. I believe that Moplas, who form a consi-
Paragraph 26 of the memorial. derable proportion of the Muhammadan population, do not
follow Muhammadan law.
From W. Hill, Esq., Commissioner of Coorg, to the Secretary to the Chief Commissioner of Coorg,—No. 84—44,
dated Coorg, the 5th May 1882.
I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 2061—43 of the 17th
March last, forwarding a copy of the memorial addressed to the Viceroy and Governor General
of India by the National Muhammadan Association of Calcutta, and requesting the expression
of my opinion of the memorial so far as it is applicable to the position and claims of the
Muhammadan community in Coorg.
2. In reply, I beg to premise my remarks by pointing out that the whole of the preamble
of the memorial is inapplicable to the circumstances of the Muhammadans in Coorg, in so far
that the Province, which has been always an independent Plill State, formed at no time part
of a Muhammadan kingdom.
3. The Muhammadan population numbered at the last census 12,541, or 7'03 per cent, of
the total population of the country. A former Rajah of Coorg near the end of the last century
was the first to induce Muhammadans to settle in the country. He conferred small jaghirs on
a few Muhammadans as a return for the kindness which they had shown to him when a captive
in Mysore. The chief family is that of Mahomed Hussain, the present Abkari Inspector. A
few Muhammadan coflee planters and Labbe shop-keepers and traders also occupy a respectable
position. A few Moplas are also to be found as jamma ryots in different parts of the Province.
They wear the Coorg dress, but speak Malayalam. In recent years there has been a large
influx of Muhammadans as petty shop-keepers and coolies. A few sons of pensioners are also
employed as peons.
4. Paragraphs 16 and 23 give an accurate picture of the backward and impoverished con-
dition of the Muhammadan community generally, but in addition to the causes assigned, the
result is attributable mainly to habits of extravagance and to the supineness of most Muham-
madans in attaching more importance to instruction in Hindustani and Persian than to English
and Canarese; English being the language of the present rulers of the country, and Canarese
that of the people and the courts.
5. Although the Coorgs, as descendants of the former ruling race, naturally occupy the
large proportion of public offices, and may be jealous of the intrusion of strangers, I am not
aware of any special hindrance in the path of respectable Muhammadans obtaining employment
under Government, as represented in paragraph 18 of the memorial. On the contrary, officers
would employ them more largely provided they qualified themselves equally with those of other
races. It may be stated that at present there are only six in the service of the Government
in Coorg drawing a higher salary than R10, or 2*29 per cent, of the officials employed. The
fact that there is not one Muhammadan in Coorg who has passed the entrance examination of
the University sufficiently accounts for the smallness of their numbers. There are only two
Muhammadan boys now studying in the Central School, and they are sons of Native officers of
the 10th Regiment, Native Infantry, and are allowed to pay only half fees.
6. The memorialists pray that similar facilities should be accorded to the Muhammadans
as are being offered to the Eurasian community, but both in position and numbers their circum-
43 a
3. With reference to paragraph 19 of the memorial, I have to state that it is very
seldom, so far as my knowledge or experience goes, that questions of Muhammadan law come
before the Courts in Coorg. Only one case, in which a point of Muhammadan law was involved,
has come before me from Coorg during the four years of my incumbency. There would be no
hesitation to apply Muhammadan law in questions of inheritance, succession, or marriage or
religious usage, so far as the civil courts are concerned with it, which arise among Muham-
madans, and the published treatises are sufficient for the guidance of the courts in the very few
cases in which such questions arise.
As the Chief Commissioner is aware, probably for the reason that there is no exclusively
judicial service in Coorg, the Judicial Commissioner has not
Paragraph 22 of the memorial. , ,, . . . . . c zn • i • o
° r been usually consulted in the selection ot officials m Coorg.
But no such condition as that alluded to in the paragraph under reference, viz., the possession
of an University degree, is imposed on candidates either for the office corresponding with
munsif or for pleadersbips.
5. I believe such Muhammadan population as there is in Coorg is taken up for the most
part with trade, agriculture, labour, and menial service. And, so far as I am aware, no claim
for official employment has been made by Muhammadans in Coorg. Such appointment would
probably be regarded with great disfavour by the Coorgs.
6. For the reasons given above, the appointment of Muhammadan Judges can hardly be
required in Coorg. I believe that Moplas, who form a consi-
Paragraph 26 of the memorial. derable proportion of the Muhammadan population, do not
follow Muhammadan law.
From W. Hill, Esq., Commissioner of Coorg, to the Secretary to the Chief Commissioner of Coorg,—No. 84—44,
dated Coorg, the 5th May 1882.
I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 2061—43 of the 17th
March last, forwarding a copy of the memorial addressed to the Viceroy and Governor General
of India by the National Muhammadan Association of Calcutta, and requesting the expression
of my opinion of the memorial so far as it is applicable to the position and claims of the
Muhammadan community in Coorg.
2. In reply, I beg to premise my remarks by pointing out that the whole of the preamble
of the memorial is inapplicable to the circumstances of the Muhammadans in Coorg, in so far
that the Province, which has been always an independent Plill State, formed at no time part
of a Muhammadan kingdom.
3. The Muhammadan population numbered at the last census 12,541, or 7'03 per cent, of
the total population of the country. A former Rajah of Coorg near the end of the last century
was the first to induce Muhammadans to settle in the country. He conferred small jaghirs on
a few Muhammadans as a return for the kindness which they had shown to him when a captive
in Mysore. The chief family is that of Mahomed Hussain, the present Abkari Inspector. A
few Muhammadan coflee planters and Labbe shop-keepers and traders also occupy a respectable
position. A few Moplas are also to be found as jamma ryots in different parts of the Province.
They wear the Coorg dress, but speak Malayalam. In recent years there has been a large
influx of Muhammadans as petty shop-keepers and coolies. A few sons of pensioners are also
employed as peons.
4. Paragraphs 16 and 23 give an accurate picture of the backward and impoverished con-
dition of the Muhammadan community generally, but in addition to the causes assigned, the
result is attributable mainly to habits of extravagance and to the supineness of most Muham-
madans in attaching more importance to instruction in Hindustani and Persian than to English
and Canarese; English being the language of the present rulers of the country, and Canarese
that of the people and the courts.
5. Although the Coorgs, as descendants of the former ruling race, naturally occupy the
large proportion of public offices, and may be jealous of the intrusion of strangers, I am not
aware of any special hindrance in the path of respectable Muhammadans obtaining employment
under Government, as represented in paragraph 18 of the memorial. On the contrary, officers
would employ them more largely provided they qualified themselves equally with those of other
races. It may be stated that at present there are only six in the service of the Government
in Coorg drawing a higher salary than R10, or 2*29 per cent, of the officials employed. The
fact that there is not one Muhammadan in Coorg who has passed the entrance examination of
the University sufficiently accounts for the smallness of their numbers. There are only two
Muhammadan boys now studying in the Central School, and they are sons of Native officers of
the 10th Regiment, Native Infantry, and are allowed to pay only half fees.
6. The memorialists pray that similar facilities should be accorded to the Muhammadans
as are being offered to the Eurasian community, but both in position and numbers their circum-
43 a