DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.68026#0077
ROYAL COMMISSION UPON DECENTRALIZATION.
71
the final issue of the discussion was that the
guarantee should still be asked for. The point
was, at the end of the five years what should
happen ; at the end of the five years should the
line be closed if it could not pay. The decision
come to was that it should not, the line must be
worked and must not be pulled up, but for five
years you have to back your opinion by under-
taking to cover loss if any.
43978. In the same province, or it may be in
Baluchistan, there were complaints as to the rules
under the Explosives Act, prepared by the Chief
Inspector of Explosives ; it was said that they were
such that the District Magistrate could not possibly
understand them in some cases ? — I thoroughly
agree in that.
43979. Does your department propose to do any-
thing towards simplifying these difficult rules?—I
am afraid we would not attempt it. The Chief
Inspector of Explosives follows the rules of the
Board of Trade issued in England, and when the
home rules are modified in any important point he
follows suit, and there is no one here to say him
nay. It is a very technical matter.
43980. After all, a rule is intended to be worked,
and if the District Officers do not understand it
they cannot work it?—It is no doubt difficult to
work some of the more special rules. I may add
that these special rules apply as a rule in large
centres where the Inspectors of Explosives (of
whom there are two under the Chief Inspector)
take care to see that the rules are worked. The
District Magistrate as a rule, in connection with
these difficult and intricate matters, has very little
to do.
43981. Except to try and understand the rule
and see whether it applies to his district or not?—
I do not imagine he would ever try to understand
the rule.
43982. We had complaints in Bombay as to in-
formation and returns called for by the Director
of Commercial Intelligence. Does the Director
of Commercial Intelligence give trouble to Local
Governments in regard to calls for information?—
There was a certain case last year on which pre-
sumably that complaint was based, in which the
Director of Commercial Intelligence had called for
certain returns from the Government of Bombay ;
the Government of Bombay brought the matter to
the notice of the Government of India ; we con-
sidered that the attitude which the Director of
Commercial Intelligence had adopted was incorrect,
and we told him so. It was a misinterpretation
on his part of his position.
43983. Speaking generally, do you think there
is a tendency on the part of that officer to call for
unnecessary returns?—•! do not think there is ; in
the case mentioned he acted with the best of in-
tentions, but the view we took of it was that the
Director to some extent misunderstood the con-
ditions of his office.
43984. And that if he had wanted this informa-
tion or thought it essential, he should have come
up to you 1-—It was a matter with which we were
not really concerned ; it was a matter in which a
private inquirer wished for certain information ;
the private inquirer referred to the Director of
Commercial Intelligence ; we said on the case that
the Director should simply have referred the
private inquirer to the Government of Bombay,
instead of which he called on the Government of
Bombay to supply himself with the information
and added certain remarks ; it was to that, I think,
that the Government of Bombay objected.
43985. I take it that you intimated to him your
disapproval, politely but in such terms that he is
not likely to repeat it?—Yes.
43986. (ClMirman.) I asked you a question about
the sending of circulars indiscriminately to Local
administrations. A case was quoted to us (I think
in Baluchistan) where the Director of Commercial
Intelligence issued a circular asking as to the
operations of Insurance Companies in Baluchistan ;
would that not appear at first sight to be a some-
what superfluous inquiry?—-I should certainly have
said so.
43987. Have you no check, then, upon this officer
as to what he sends out and what he does not send
out?—The office is a new one, and we have got to
more or less settle the procedure. Orders exist
laying down what the Director-General should do
and what he should not do. He can ask for in-
formation which is called for in the interest of
commerce from Local Governments.
43988. But can he do that independently of the
Government of India?—He can.
43989. Is that a wise discretion to place in the
hands of an officer?—It is a somewhat difficult
matter ; such information may be very necessary,
and it would be troublesome for the Government
of India to be continually asking for details of this
commercial information.
43990. But can the Director of Commercial In-
telligence ask in the name of the Government?—
No ; he asks purely for his own purposes of com-
mercial intelligence.
43991. And is the Local Government at liberty
to refuse that information ?—It would be at liberty
to say that it had not got the information, or that
it could not supply it.
43992. Would not a Local Government under-
stand a request issuing from the Department of
Commerce and Industry at the hands of the Direc-
tor of Commercial Intelligence as practically an
order to furnish the Government of India with the
information?—I think not. He is the officer of
the Government of India in charge of trade statis-
tics and commercial information, and his office is
subordinate to the Department of Commerce and
Industry ; but he runs his own show, to use a
common expression.
43993. Is he a member of the Indian Civil
Service?—No ; he is a mercantile man.
43994. He publishes a guasi-Trade Journal?—
Yes.
43995. And he is at liberty there to air his views ?
—He is at liberty to air his views.
43996. Has not that Journal been under recent
criticism?—It has been under criticism since the
time it began.
(The witness withdrew.)
Adjourned.
Mr. B.
Robertson.
3 Apr., 1908.
71
the final issue of the discussion was that the
guarantee should still be asked for. The point
was, at the end of the five years what should
happen ; at the end of the five years should the
line be closed if it could not pay. The decision
come to was that it should not, the line must be
worked and must not be pulled up, but for five
years you have to back your opinion by under-
taking to cover loss if any.
43978. In the same province, or it may be in
Baluchistan, there were complaints as to the rules
under the Explosives Act, prepared by the Chief
Inspector of Explosives ; it was said that they were
such that the District Magistrate could not possibly
understand them in some cases ? — I thoroughly
agree in that.
43979. Does your department propose to do any-
thing towards simplifying these difficult rules?—I
am afraid we would not attempt it. The Chief
Inspector of Explosives follows the rules of the
Board of Trade issued in England, and when the
home rules are modified in any important point he
follows suit, and there is no one here to say him
nay. It is a very technical matter.
43980. After all, a rule is intended to be worked,
and if the District Officers do not understand it
they cannot work it?—It is no doubt difficult to
work some of the more special rules. I may add
that these special rules apply as a rule in large
centres where the Inspectors of Explosives (of
whom there are two under the Chief Inspector)
take care to see that the rules are worked. The
District Magistrate as a rule, in connection with
these difficult and intricate matters, has very little
to do.
43981. Except to try and understand the rule
and see whether it applies to his district or not?—
I do not imagine he would ever try to understand
the rule.
43982. We had complaints in Bombay as to in-
formation and returns called for by the Director
of Commercial Intelligence. Does the Director
of Commercial Intelligence give trouble to Local
Governments in regard to calls for information?—
There was a certain case last year on which pre-
sumably that complaint was based, in which the
Director of Commercial Intelligence had called for
certain returns from the Government of Bombay ;
the Government of Bombay brought the matter to
the notice of the Government of India ; we con-
sidered that the attitude which the Director of
Commercial Intelligence had adopted was incorrect,
and we told him so. It was a misinterpretation
on his part of his position.
43983. Speaking generally, do you think there
is a tendency on the part of that officer to call for
unnecessary returns?—•! do not think there is ; in
the case mentioned he acted with the best of in-
tentions, but the view we took of it was that the
Director to some extent misunderstood the con-
ditions of his office.
43984. And that if he had wanted this informa-
tion or thought it essential, he should have come
up to you 1-—It was a matter with which we were
not really concerned ; it was a matter in which a
private inquirer wished for certain information ;
the private inquirer referred to the Director of
Commercial Intelligence ; we said on the case that
the Director should simply have referred the
private inquirer to the Government of Bombay,
instead of which he called on the Government of
Bombay to supply himself with the information
and added certain remarks ; it was to that, I think,
that the Government of Bombay objected.
43985. I take it that you intimated to him your
disapproval, politely but in such terms that he is
not likely to repeat it?—Yes.
43986. (ClMirman.) I asked you a question about
the sending of circulars indiscriminately to Local
administrations. A case was quoted to us (I think
in Baluchistan) where the Director of Commercial
Intelligence issued a circular asking as to the
operations of Insurance Companies in Baluchistan ;
would that not appear at first sight to be a some-
what superfluous inquiry?—-I should certainly have
said so.
43987. Have you no check, then, upon this officer
as to what he sends out and what he does not send
out?—The office is a new one, and we have got to
more or less settle the procedure. Orders exist
laying down what the Director-General should do
and what he should not do. He can ask for in-
formation which is called for in the interest of
commerce from Local Governments.
43988. But can he do that independently of the
Government of India?—He can.
43989. Is that a wise discretion to place in the
hands of an officer?—It is a somewhat difficult
matter ; such information may be very necessary,
and it would be troublesome for the Government
of India to be continually asking for details of this
commercial information.
43990. But can the Director of Commercial In-
telligence ask in the name of the Government?—
No ; he asks purely for his own purposes of com-
mercial intelligence.
43991. And is the Local Government at liberty
to refuse that information ?—It would be at liberty
to say that it had not got the information, or that
it could not supply it.
43992. Would not a Local Government under-
stand a request issuing from the Department of
Commerce and Industry at the hands of the Direc-
tor of Commercial Intelligence as practically an
order to furnish the Government of India with the
information?—I think not. He is the officer of
the Government of India in charge of trade statis-
tics and commercial information, and his office is
subordinate to the Department of Commerce and
Industry ; but he runs his own show, to use a
common expression.
43993. Is he a member of the Indian Civil
Service?—No ; he is a mercantile man.
43994. He publishes a guasi-Trade Journal?—
Yes.
43995. And he is at liberty there to air his views ?
—He is at liberty to air his views.
43996. Has not that Journal been under recent
criticism?—It has been under criticism since the
time it began.
(The witness withdrew.)
Adjourned.
Mr. B.
Robertson.
3 Apr., 1908.