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https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.68025#0087
ROYAL COMMISSION UPON DECENTRALIZATION.
81
16364. How would you provide against place-hunters
finding a seat on an advisory Board?—It would be
very difficult to lay down any rule of conduct.
16365. Is the Vice-Chairman of your municipality
also an Indian ?—Yes.
16366. So that practically the whole work of the
municipality is carried on by non-offieials with paid
servants under you ?—Yes.
16367. Is the work proceeding smoothly ?—I think
so. There has been little or no hitch.
16368. Are the collections satisfactory ?—Yes. They
generally average 98 or 99 per cent.
16369. In sanitary matters is the municipality con-
ducted as well as when the Collector was the Chairman ?
—Quite as well, because when he was the Chairman we
had practically the carrying on of all the work.
16370. Have you much money to expend on sanitary
improvements ?—No. A great deal of the money we
receive is devoted to the charitable dispensary and to
roads, &c. Bor sanitary works, such as drainage, very
little money is left.
16371. What are the sanitary works which you can
execute within your means ?—Some drainage in bazars.
The municipality is a very scattered one, and of course
a comprehensive drainage scheme would mean a con-
siderable outlay, which we cannot afford under existing
circumstances. A second difficulty is, that even if we
had such a scheme carried out, we would not be in a
position to keep it up, because even now we have to
take the rain-water a distance of three or four miles
from the municipal limits in order to find an outlet
for it.
16372. Supposing Government came to your help,
and gave you either a bonus or a loan, to carry out a
comprehensive drainage scheme, would you have
sufficient money to keep it up ?—I think so. As far as
bazar places and thickly populated places are concerned,
we might be able to do it.
16373. Is the management of the dispensary in the
hands of the municipality ?—No. There is a Dis-
pensary Committee, consisting of members of the
District Board and the municipality, and outsiders, the
Civil Surgeon and the Collector included. The Col-
lector is Chairman.
16374. Do you only find the money ?—Not only the
municipality, but the District Board to some extent,
though we pay the major portion.
16375. Have you any schools in the municipality ?—
There is a school which is kept up by Government
entirely ; and there are primary and secondary schools
within the municipality towards which contribution is
made by the municipality.
16376. Are they supervised by the municipality :—
No ; there are sub-inspectors and deputy-inspectors of
schools who are paid by Government, or by the District
Board, and they inspect; but reports with regard to
certain matters are submitted to the municipality, and
if there is any suggestion contained in these reports, it
is attended to and carried out.
16377. So that you pay the money, but you have
practically no hand in the management of the primary
schools ? Practically that is so.
16378. Do you not think you ought to have the
management of the schools, as you find the money for
them ?—That is my view.
16379. In the matter of leave, pensions and gratui-
ties, you think the municipality ought to have a free
hand. But might that not lead to jobbery ?—It
might.
16380. Then is it not safer on the whole that
Government should have some control over the grant
of gratuities?—Of course, if it was found there was
a tendency to jobbery, I would rather keep the final
control in the hands of Government.
16381. Then you do not insist on complete indepen-
dence in that matter ?—It is a matter of minor impor-
tance, and there is some risk.
16382. You think District Boards ought to have a
free hand in regard to primary education ; but has not
a District Board a free hand now ?—But the super-
vision and direction are carried out through the
Government officials.
16383. Have you not sub-inspectors who are the
servants of the Board, who inspect all these primary
schools ?—Yes, but the schools are managed and kept
up under certain rules framed by Government, and
those rules have to be observed. The deputy-inspectors
and sub-inspectors of schools are more or less guided
by the rules, so that, practically, the District Board has
no voice in the management.
Babu
Jogendra
Nath
Mukherjee.
31 Dec., 1907.
16384. Do you not recognize the necessity of some
rules being laid down by Government?—Yes, I do.
16385, But you think they ought to be a little more
elastic, and that the District Board ought to have
power to modify them according to circumstances ?—
Yes, I would be satisfied with that.
16386. Would you recommend the formation of
sub-committees for the management of different
branches of the District Board’s work ?—Certainly.
16387. Each sub-committee having a Chairman of
its own and laying its report before the Board?—-
Certainly, I think that would lead to better results
than are produced now. There is one point, and that
is with regard to the Sanitary Board, as to which I
feel keenly. Although the Local Self-Government
Act contains a section to the effect that the Govern-
ment may extend powers with regard to sanitation to
District Boards, I propose that it should be just the
other way about, and that every District Board should
have the power to deal with sanitary questions, and in
case the Government thought that the circumstances of
any particular District Board did not admit of their
dealing with sanitary questions, such a District Board
might be excluded. But as the law stands at present,
Government can only extend it to particular District
Boards, and very few of them enjoy this power.
16388. You say when an Advisory Board is formed
rhe supervision of police work should be entrusted to
them. How would you effect that ?—The members of
the Council, being in touch with the people, should be
in a position to bring anything like police scandals and
things of that kind to the notice of the District
Magistrate, but if the matter was left to the depart-
ment, probably such questions would never reach the
ears of the Magistrate.
16389. Should the Advisory Board be consulted on
proposed legislative measures ?—Yes, I am decidedly of
that opinion. I think those things should be submitted
to the Advisory Councils, and if there was a practical
unanimity of opinion, Government should think over
it, and either introduce, or not introduce, the measure.
I would leave the final power in the hands of Govern-
ment, but the opinions of the Boards ought to be
obtained.
16390. (Jfr. Hichens). How long has Purnea been
under municipal Government ?—I should say over 40
years.
16391. Do you think, looking back over the period
during which you have been connected with it, that
the people take more interest now in municipal affairs
than they used to do twenty years ago ?—Yes ;
decidedly they do.
16392. For example, in the matter of elections, did
they elect members twenty years ago ?—Yes.
16393. Are the elections as keenly contested to-day
as they used to be ?—They are more keenly contested
now. At the beginning there was practically no con-
test ; but for the last twelve years there have been
frequent contests.
16394. Do the leading men of the town come
forward to stand for election ?—Leading men who
have public spirit do come forward. There are leading
men who are simply engaged in making money or
minding their own business, who do not take any
interest in public affairs, and do not take the trouble
to seek election.
16395. To what do you attribute that ?—To want
of education and want of public spirit.
16396. Is it partly due to the fact that the muni-
cipality has not enough power ?—I think a municipality
has got sufficient power for ordinary purposes. I
have never been thwarted in my office, and I find that
the work can be carried on smoothly as far as I am
concerned. I cannot speak, of course, with regard to
other municipalities, or as to how they might be-
interfered with ; but I have read accounts of their
having been interfered with in my own division.
33263
L
81
16364. How would you provide against place-hunters
finding a seat on an advisory Board?—It would be
very difficult to lay down any rule of conduct.
16365. Is the Vice-Chairman of your municipality
also an Indian ?—Yes.
16366. So that practically the whole work of the
municipality is carried on by non-offieials with paid
servants under you ?—Yes.
16367. Is the work proceeding smoothly ?—I think
so. There has been little or no hitch.
16368. Are the collections satisfactory ?—Yes. They
generally average 98 or 99 per cent.
16369. In sanitary matters is the municipality con-
ducted as well as when the Collector was the Chairman ?
—Quite as well, because when he was the Chairman we
had practically the carrying on of all the work.
16370. Have you much money to expend on sanitary
improvements ?—No. A great deal of the money we
receive is devoted to the charitable dispensary and to
roads, &c. Bor sanitary works, such as drainage, very
little money is left.
16371. What are the sanitary works which you can
execute within your means ?—Some drainage in bazars.
The municipality is a very scattered one, and of course
a comprehensive drainage scheme would mean a con-
siderable outlay, which we cannot afford under existing
circumstances. A second difficulty is, that even if we
had such a scheme carried out, we would not be in a
position to keep it up, because even now we have to
take the rain-water a distance of three or four miles
from the municipal limits in order to find an outlet
for it.
16372. Supposing Government came to your help,
and gave you either a bonus or a loan, to carry out a
comprehensive drainage scheme, would you have
sufficient money to keep it up ?—I think so. As far as
bazar places and thickly populated places are concerned,
we might be able to do it.
16373. Is the management of the dispensary in the
hands of the municipality ?—No. There is a Dis-
pensary Committee, consisting of members of the
District Board and the municipality, and outsiders, the
Civil Surgeon and the Collector included. The Col-
lector is Chairman.
16374. Do you only find the money ?—Not only the
municipality, but the District Board to some extent,
though we pay the major portion.
16375. Have you any schools in the municipality ?—
There is a school which is kept up by Government
entirely ; and there are primary and secondary schools
within the municipality towards which contribution is
made by the municipality.
16376. Are they supervised by the municipality :—
No ; there are sub-inspectors and deputy-inspectors of
schools who are paid by Government, or by the District
Board, and they inspect; but reports with regard to
certain matters are submitted to the municipality, and
if there is any suggestion contained in these reports, it
is attended to and carried out.
16377. So that you pay the money, but you have
practically no hand in the management of the primary
schools ? Practically that is so.
16378. Do you not think you ought to have the
management of the schools, as you find the money for
them ?—That is my view.
16379. In the matter of leave, pensions and gratui-
ties, you think the municipality ought to have a free
hand. But might that not lead to jobbery ?—It
might.
16380. Then is it not safer on the whole that
Government should have some control over the grant
of gratuities?—Of course, if it was found there was
a tendency to jobbery, I would rather keep the final
control in the hands of Government.
16381. Then you do not insist on complete indepen-
dence in that matter ?—It is a matter of minor impor-
tance, and there is some risk.
16382. You think District Boards ought to have a
free hand in regard to primary education ; but has not
a District Board a free hand now ?—But the super-
vision and direction are carried out through the
Government officials.
16383. Have you not sub-inspectors who are the
servants of the Board, who inspect all these primary
schools ?—Yes, but the schools are managed and kept
up under certain rules framed by Government, and
those rules have to be observed. The deputy-inspectors
and sub-inspectors of schools are more or less guided
by the rules, so that, practically, the District Board has
no voice in the management.
Babu
Jogendra
Nath
Mukherjee.
31 Dec., 1907.
16384. Do you not recognize the necessity of some
rules being laid down by Government?—Yes, I do.
16385, But you think they ought to be a little more
elastic, and that the District Board ought to have
power to modify them according to circumstances ?—
Yes, I would be satisfied with that.
16386. Would you recommend the formation of
sub-committees for the management of different
branches of the District Board’s work ?—Certainly.
16387. Each sub-committee having a Chairman of
its own and laying its report before the Board?—-
Certainly, I think that would lead to better results
than are produced now. There is one point, and that
is with regard to the Sanitary Board, as to which I
feel keenly. Although the Local Self-Government
Act contains a section to the effect that the Govern-
ment may extend powers with regard to sanitation to
District Boards, I propose that it should be just the
other way about, and that every District Board should
have the power to deal with sanitary questions, and in
case the Government thought that the circumstances of
any particular District Board did not admit of their
dealing with sanitary questions, such a District Board
might be excluded. But as the law stands at present,
Government can only extend it to particular District
Boards, and very few of them enjoy this power.
16388. You say when an Advisory Board is formed
rhe supervision of police work should be entrusted to
them. How would you effect that ?—The members of
the Council, being in touch with the people, should be
in a position to bring anything like police scandals and
things of that kind to the notice of the District
Magistrate, but if the matter was left to the depart-
ment, probably such questions would never reach the
ears of the Magistrate.
16389. Should the Advisory Board be consulted on
proposed legislative measures ?—Yes, I am decidedly of
that opinion. I think those things should be submitted
to the Advisory Councils, and if there was a practical
unanimity of opinion, Government should think over
it, and either introduce, or not introduce, the measure.
I would leave the final power in the hands of Govern-
ment, but the opinions of the Boards ought to be
obtained.
16390. (Jfr. Hichens). How long has Purnea been
under municipal Government ?—I should say over 40
years.
16391. Do you think, looking back over the period
during which you have been connected with it, that
the people take more interest now in municipal affairs
than they used to do twenty years ago ?—Yes ;
decidedly they do.
16392. For example, in the matter of elections, did
they elect members twenty years ago ?—Yes.
16393. Are the elections as keenly contested to-day
as they used to be ?—They are more keenly contested
now. At the beginning there was practically no con-
test ; but for the last twelve years there have been
frequent contests.
16394. Do the leading men of the town come
forward to stand for election ?—Leading men who
have public spirit do come forward. There are leading
men who are simply engaged in making money or
minding their own business, who do not take any
interest in public affairs, and do not take the trouble
to seek election.
16395. To what do you attribute that ?—To want
of education and want of public spirit.
16396. Is it partly due to the fact that the muni-
cipality has not enough power ?—I think a municipality
has got sufficient power for ordinary purposes. I
have never been thwarted in my office, and I find that
the work can be carried on smoothly as far as I am
concerned. I cannot speak, of course, with regard to
other municipalities, or as to how they might be-
interfered with ; but I have read accounts of their
having been interfered with in my own division.
33263
L