DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9551#0087
OF INDIA.
75
many of the respectable members of both communities.
Yet even in that capital, though the seat of government,
and numerous police officers are placed at almost every
hundred yards, the common Europeans are often disposed
to annoy the native inhabitants. By the above statement
I do not mean to convey that there are not any honest
and industrious persons among the European labourers.
On the contrary I believe that amongst the very humblest
class of society such characters are numerous. But even
in justice to them, I deem it right to state that without
capital, they could not, in a hot country, compete with the
native labourers, who are accustomed to the climate, and
from their very different habits of life with regard to food,
clothes and lodging, can subsist on at least one sixth, if
not one tenth of what is required by an European labourer.
Consequently the latter would not find his situation at all
improved, but the very reverse by emigrating to India.
50. Q. Would the jud.cial system as at present es-
tablished, be sufficient to control the European settlers in
the interior of the country ?
A. At present British-born subjects are not amenable to
the Company's courts, except as regards small debts under
500 rupees (about ^"50) and for petty cases of assault*.
* Up to the passing of Act 11 of 1836, better known as the
Black Act, the Company's civil courts had practically no jurisdic-
tion over European British subjects. By Sec. 9 of Reg. 3 of
1793, Europeans were prohibited from residing at a greater
distance from Calcutta than 10 miles, unless they executed a
bond, agreeably to the provisions of Reg. 28 of 1793, rendering
themselves amenable to the civil courts of the Muffussil regard-
ing all suits of amounts less than 500 Rs. By Sec. 107 of 53 Geo.
-3. C. loo, British subjects were rendered amenable to the
Muffussil civil courts, but it would appear from what Ram
Mohun Roy says, that it was not in operation in the Muffussil.
as was the case with 9 Geo. 4. C. 74. The Muffussil criminal
• courts also had no jurisdiction over British-born subjects until
75
many of the respectable members of both communities.
Yet even in that capital, though the seat of government,
and numerous police officers are placed at almost every
hundred yards, the common Europeans are often disposed
to annoy the native inhabitants. By the above statement
I do not mean to convey that there are not any honest
and industrious persons among the European labourers.
On the contrary I believe that amongst the very humblest
class of society such characters are numerous. But even
in justice to them, I deem it right to state that without
capital, they could not, in a hot country, compete with the
native labourers, who are accustomed to the climate, and
from their very different habits of life with regard to food,
clothes and lodging, can subsist on at least one sixth, if
not one tenth of what is required by an European labourer.
Consequently the latter would not find his situation at all
improved, but the very reverse by emigrating to India.
50. Q. Would the jud.cial system as at present es-
tablished, be sufficient to control the European settlers in
the interior of the country ?
A. At present British-born subjects are not amenable to
the Company's courts, except as regards small debts under
500 rupees (about ^"50) and for petty cases of assault*.
* Up to the passing of Act 11 of 1836, better known as the
Black Act, the Company's civil courts had practically no jurisdic-
tion over European British subjects. By Sec. 9 of Reg. 3 of
1793, Europeans were prohibited from residing at a greater
distance from Calcutta than 10 miles, unless they executed a
bond, agreeably to the provisions of Reg. 28 of 1793, rendering
themselves amenable to the civil courts of the Muffussil regard-
ing all suits of amounts less than 500 Rs. By Sec. 107 of 53 Geo.
-3. C. loo, British subjects were rendered amenable to the
Muffussil civil courts, but it would appear from what Ram
Mohun Roy says, that it was not in operation in the Muffussil.
as was the case with 9 Geo. 4. C. 74. The Muffussil criminal
• courts also had no jurisdiction over British-born subjects until