Like The Cypriote, But In A Greater Degree, The Dekkan Peasant Is Poor, Indebted, And Indifferent To The Improvement Of His Land, And Both Are Constantly Liable To The Effects Of Drought And Famine.

But whilst the State requires from the former only a tenth part of his actual crops, the Indian peasant is liable for the full money rate fixed without regard to the rainfall and the crops.

As between the State and the peasant, the elastic tithe tax would seem to be preferable-its evil working in Cyprus being due mainly to the irresponsible and unscrupulous agencies entrusted with the collection of the tithes. In attempting any reform, therefore, care should be taken at the outset to avoid principles or methods that have contributed in India to evils similar to those that have to be rectified here. The direction and scope of the reform must necessarily depend upon more complete information than is at present available respecting the land tenures and local agricultural customs of this island, the varieties of soil, the means of irrigation actual and possible, and the conditions and habits of the agricultural classes generally.

Information on these essential points may, however, be obtained before the termination of the present engagements with the tithe- farmers in March 1879. A rough field survey would prepare the ground for a systematic inquiry into rights and interests in each estate and village throughout the several districts of the island. The inquiry, conducted by the respective commissioners of districts in the next few months of favourable weather, may be made to embrace the following points 1.

Enter page number Go  Previous Next
Page 497 of 524
Words from 135731 to 135997 of 143016