DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.68025#0090
84
MINUTES OF EVIDENCE :
Balu
Jogendra
Nath
Mukherjee.
.31 Dec., 1907.
Maharaj-
Kumar
Kristo
: Das Law.
f'l-
31 Dec., 1907.
have to comply with the rules ?—Yes, it is generally
so, but under the existing rules the application of
money to any school cannot be made unless the school
is carried on in accordance with the Government rules.
16470. You suggest Advisory Boards for the Com-
missioner and Collector?—As regards the Commis-
sioner, I am not quite clear, but I am very keen about
the Collector.
16471. As regards the District Officer, he has his
District Board which he meets once a month—does he
want a separate body for advice ?—By Advisory
Council I meant a separate body. The District Board
deals with a limited class of questions only, and there
are other questions which might be conveniently dealt
with by an Advisory Council.
16472. Could you not achieve that by extending the
authority of the District Boards?—If that could be
done, well and good.
16473. What is the object of creating a second body
in a district ?—Because the powers of the District
Board being limited, they would have no statutory
authority to deal with questions outside the Local
Self-Government Act.
16474. If you were to widen the powers of
the Local Self-Government Act would not that be
remedied?—Of course it would have to be changed
in that case, but it comes to the same thing in the
result.
( The witness withdrew.)
Maiiaraj-Kumar Kristo Das
Law was called and examined.
16475. (Chairman.) Are you a zamindar?—Yes. I
live in Calcutta. My native place is Gauhati, but
I came here when I was very young.
The provincial Government should have the power
of creating new appointments when occasion arises up
to Rs. 500, or enhancing the salaries up to that amount
without taking the sanction of the Government of
India.
Executive Officers generally have not at present
sufficient opportunities for personal contact with the
people. The existing obstacles are want of proper
knowledge of vernaculars, pressure of official duties,
and, above all, their want of sympathy and good feeling
leading in some cases to discourtesy and disinclination
to mix with the people. European Executive Officers
on arrival in this country should be made to learn the
vernaculars, and they should also study the current
vernacular literature by reading newspapers, periodicals,
novels and so forth. They should mix freely with
senior Indian officers of all grades, whether Judicial,
Executive or Educational, and on festive and other
suitable occasions, such as musical parties, mournful
occasions, &c., with the community at large according
to the Indian custom. Provision should be made in
the rules of promotion to give preference to those who,
besides their official qualifications, pure and simple,
possess the quality of sympathy and good feeling,
thereby narrowing the gulf between the rulers and
the ruled. The Divisional Commissioners in their
periodical inspections of the work of the subordinate
European Executive Officers should be directed to
report also about their behaviour towards the people
generally.
An increase in the administrative staff is required.
Owing to the increase of work in the different depart-
ments, the present officers are overworked. Curtail-
ment of the areas of large districts is not desirable, as
by the division the smaller part is generally joined to
an adjoining district, the headquarters of which become
more distant than that to which the people were
accustomed. Besides it would involve division and
transfer of an immense number of records which in
course of transit might be lost or get mixed up. All
these combined cause dissatisfaction among the inhabi-
tants thereof on account of the inconvenience in
transacting their business.
Should the powers of the Commissioners, Collectors,
and other local authorities be enlarged, preference
should be given to capacity and experience over
seniority, as seniority does not necessarily denote the
necessary qualifications for administrative and executive
work.
Transfers of officers are frequent, and in order to
obviate this disadvantage the staff should be increased,
so that in case of the illness or absence of an officer on
leave, &c., the next senior man there may officiate in
his place.
I am in favour of the creation of Advisory Councils
only to assist Divisional Commissioners, and they
should be empowered to create Advisory Councils in
the headquarters of each district under their charge.
Each Council should consist of five or seven members
representing the different important interests, such as
land, sanitation, education, trade and agriculture, &c.,
and the Commissioners should consult with them on
these and on all other important matters, either on
their inspection tours, or by means of letters when
occasion arises. The reports of such Councils should
be sent to the provincial Governments.
It would not be expedient to invest District Boards
with powers of supervision and control over smaller
municipalities, as it may cause friction.
It is desirable that village communities should be
vested with powers with regard to primary education,
and in the disposal of petty criminal and civil cases.
Should they be found working satisfactorily in the
aforesaid matters, police and sanitation may also be
placed in their charge.
16476. You state that District Officers are not only
ignorant of the vernacular, but that some of them are
apt to show want of sympathy towards the people ?—-
Not all of them, but some of them. I do not say they
are ignorant, but they are not very tactful.
16477. Have you yourself come across any personal
cases of discourtesy on their part ?—No.
16478. Then what you state is what you have heard
other people say ?—Yes.
16479. If there was more social intercourse between
District Officers and the people in a district, would
things work better ?—Yes.
16480. Would either Hindu or Muhammadan gentle-
men be disinclined to welcome a closer social inter-
course ?—I do not think so ; I think the natives of the
country would like it and appreciate it.
16481. The last witness said that not only were the
European officers rather exclusive but that the Deputy
Collectors who are Indians also were inclined to show
the same exclusiveness ; would you agree with that ?—
I have no personal knowledge, but so far as I can hear,
I do not think it is so.
16482. You think that they are not carried away by
their official position into exhibiting some haughtiness ?
—Some little haughtiness, of course, would result from
their position, but not to the extent suggested.
16483. Would you increase the powers of Com-
missioners and Collectors and other district autho-
rities?—I have no objection to increased powers being
given.
16484. With regard to Advisory Councils, you think
that such Councils might be created to assist the Divi-
sional Commissioners. Should the members be selected
and appointed by the Commissioner ?—I have not given
the matter consideration in that way, because I do not
know how a provincial Advisory Council would be
formed.
16485. With regard to Advisory Councils to District
Officers, what have you to say ?—I do not think they
are necessary.
16486. Would you suggest that village councils or
village communities should be formed ?—There is some
kind of village community now in existence, and those
I think should be encouraged. I would give them
rather larger powers.
16487. Would you give them power to dispose of
criminal cases ?—Yes, small criminal cases, such a case,
for instance, as that of a man who has stolen fruit from
another man’s garden.
MINUTES OF EVIDENCE :
Balu
Jogendra
Nath
Mukherjee.
.31 Dec., 1907.
Maharaj-
Kumar
Kristo
: Das Law.
f'l-
31 Dec., 1907.
have to comply with the rules ?—Yes, it is generally
so, but under the existing rules the application of
money to any school cannot be made unless the school
is carried on in accordance with the Government rules.
16470. You suggest Advisory Boards for the Com-
missioner and Collector?—As regards the Commis-
sioner, I am not quite clear, but I am very keen about
the Collector.
16471. As regards the District Officer, he has his
District Board which he meets once a month—does he
want a separate body for advice ?—By Advisory
Council I meant a separate body. The District Board
deals with a limited class of questions only, and there
are other questions which might be conveniently dealt
with by an Advisory Council.
16472. Could you not achieve that by extending the
authority of the District Boards?—If that could be
done, well and good.
16473. What is the object of creating a second body
in a district ?—Because the powers of the District
Board being limited, they would have no statutory
authority to deal with questions outside the Local
Self-Government Act.
16474. If you were to widen the powers of
the Local Self-Government Act would not that be
remedied?—Of course it would have to be changed
in that case, but it comes to the same thing in the
result.
( The witness withdrew.)
Maiiaraj-Kumar Kristo Das
Law was called and examined.
16475. (Chairman.) Are you a zamindar?—Yes. I
live in Calcutta. My native place is Gauhati, but
I came here when I was very young.
The provincial Government should have the power
of creating new appointments when occasion arises up
to Rs. 500, or enhancing the salaries up to that amount
without taking the sanction of the Government of
India.
Executive Officers generally have not at present
sufficient opportunities for personal contact with the
people. The existing obstacles are want of proper
knowledge of vernaculars, pressure of official duties,
and, above all, their want of sympathy and good feeling
leading in some cases to discourtesy and disinclination
to mix with the people. European Executive Officers
on arrival in this country should be made to learn the
vernaculars, and they should also study the current
vernacular literature by reading newspapers, periodicals,
novels and so forth. They should mix freely with
senior Indian officers of all grades, whether Judicial,
Executive or Educational, and on festive and other
suitable occasions, such as musical parties, mournful
occasions, &c., with the community at large according
to the Indian custom. Provision should be made in
the rules of promotion to give preference to those who,
besides their official qualifications, pure and simple,
possess the quality of sympathy and good feeling,
thereby narrowing the gulf between the rulers and
the ruled. The Divisional Commissioners in their
periodical inspections of the work of the subordinate
European Executive Officers should be directed to
report also about their behaviour towards the people
generally.
An increase in the administrative staff is required.
Owing to the increase of work in the different depart-
ments, the present officers are overworked. Curtail-
ment of the areas of large districts is not desirable, as
by the division the smaller part is generally joined to
an adjoining district, the headquarters of which become
more distant than that to which the people were
accustomed. Besides it would involve division and
transfer of an immense number of records which in
course of transit might be lost or get mixed up. All
these combined cause dissatisfaction among the inhabi-
tants thereof on account of the inconvenience in
transacting their business.
Should the powers of the Commissioners, Collectors,
and other local authorities be enlarged, preference
should be given to capacity and experience over
seniority, as seniority does not necessarily denote the
necessary qualifications for administrative and executive
work.
Transfers of officers are frequent, and in order to
obviate this disadvantage the staff should be increased,
so that in case of the illness or absence of an officer on
leave, &c., the next senior man there may officiate in
his place.
I am in favour of the creation of Advisory Councils
only to assist Divisional Commissioners, and they
should be empowered to create Advisory Councils in
the headquarters of each district under their charge.
Each Council should consist of five or seven members
representing the different important interests, such as
land, sanitation, education, trade and agriculture, &c.,
and the Commissioners should consult with them on
these and on all other important matters, either on
their inspection tours, or by means of letters when
occasion arises. The reports of such Councils should
be sent to the provincial Governments.
It would not be expedient to invest District Boards
with powers of supervision and control over smaller
municipalities, as it may cause friction.
It is desirable that village communities should be
vested with powers with regard to primary education,
and in the disposal of petty criminal and civil cases.
Should they be found working satisfactorily in the
aforesaid matters, police and sanitation may also be
placed in their charge.
16476. You state that District Officers are not only
ignorant of the vernacular, but that some of them are
apt to show want of sympathy towards the people ?—-
Not all of them, but some of them. I do not say they
are ignorant, but they are not very tactful.
16477. Have you yourself come across any personal
cases of discourtesy on their part ?—No.
16478. Then what you state is what you have heard
other people say ?—Yes.
16479. If there was more social intercourse between
District Officers and the people in a district, would
things work better ?—Yes.
16480. Would either Hindu or Muhammadan gentle-
men be disinclined to welcome a closer social inter-
course ?—I do not think so ; I think the natives of the
country would like it and appreciate it.
16481. The last witness said that not only were the
European officers rather exclusive but that the Deputy
Collectors who are Indians also were inclined to show
the same exclusiveness ; would you agree with that ?—
I have no personal knowledge, but so far as I can hear,
I do not think it is so.
16482. You think that they are not carried away by
their official position into exhibiting some haughtiness ?
—Some little haughtiness, of course, would result from
their position, but not to the extent suggested.
16483. Would you increase the powers of Com-
missioners and Collectors and other district autho-
rities?—I have no objection to increased powers being
given.
16484. With regard to Advisory Councils, you think
that such Councils might be created to assist the Divi-
sional Commissioners. Should the members be selected
and appointed by the Commissioner ?—I have not given
the matter consideration in that way, because I do not
know how a provincial Advisory Council would be
formed.
16485. With regard to Advisory Councils to District
Officers, what have you to say ?—I do not think they
are necessary.
16486. Would you suggest that village councils or
village communities should be formed ?—There is some
kind of village community now in existence, and those
I think should be encouraged. I would give them
rather larger powers.
16487. Would you give them power to dispose of
criminal cases ?—Yes, small criminal cases, such a case,
for instance, as that of a man who has stolen fruit from
another man’s garden.