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'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [162v] (329/502)
The record is made up of 1 volume (249 folios). It was created in 1 Nov 1873-14 Feb 1874. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
Srd. The ryots complained about these Thakors levying giras haks direct,
and on enquiries being instituted, it appeared proper to Government to undertake
the duty of collection and payment of the proper amount due to these Thakors.
They say what they get now is less than what they used to levy direct, but what
we pay them is the amount of what they were able to prove at the time of en
quiry was really due to them from the ryots. They used to collect the giras
hak from the Patels, who paid them out of the sum set apart for " Gamkharch."
We do not collect any excess of what we pay them as giras with the view of taking
the balance for Government.
Ath. We have never heard of any 'arrears being due for years previous
t0 Svt. 1920 J aild if any Thakor can prove to us that he has arrears due to him, he
will have help to get them paid.
6th. If the Thakors apply to the proper authority, they will get what help
they require. We have not stopped any of their haks.
6th. The injured man should make his complaint to the
Durbar
A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family).
, when his
case will be encjuired into, and if it is found that his private land has been wrongly
entered as Government land, he will get redress.
7th. Enquiry is not completed into the Kadi pargana giras haks; when it is,
the Thakors will get their dues.
8th. We are willing to take 5 years named by the Thakors, and 5 by us,
and strike an average as to the amount to be paid.
9th. The land tax of 2 annas in the rupee charged by the Inam Commis
sion is quite irrespective of mortgage, and is charged to the occupant thereof for
the time being.
10th. Khanderao Maharaj gave the Thakors jurisdiction to fine up to Rs. 5
and to imprison for 8 days, but finding the powers abused, he withdrew them
again.
llth. The " Tvatra " or remarriage tax was a new invention of Khanderao's,
which the Thakors had no right to claim any benefit from. It in no way interfered
with their original marriage tax.
12th. We considered the pract : ce objectionable, and therefore abolished it*
The Thakors were confined at Bijapur in consequence of their disobedience of Dur
bar orders, and not in consequence of the abolition of safe conducts.
13th. It never was usual to call the ryots through the Thakors, but if the
latter will undertake to produce the ryots as soon as we call for them, we have
no objection to let them have this authority.
14 <th. The practice complained of as to mohsals is the usual one through
out the State.
I.5th. We are entitled to the whole of such property, but we have no objec
tion to the Thakors getting the property of such of their cultivators as die with
out heirs.
16th. If there are any new tolls established since the beginning of the pre
sent reign, we shall abolish them.
17th. The " Gadinazarana" is, we admit, a new tax, but before it was levied,
the Maharaj, in the beginning of 1872, spoke to the late Resident, Colonel Barr,
about it, and he made no objection to its imposition. He said the Maharaj might
do as seemed good to him. Similar new taxes were imposed by Khanderao
Gaekwar, for instance, the " Golden Howdah nazarana" of 2 per cent., the
" Makarpura Haveli nazarana" of 10 per cent.
The Gadi nazarana is a general tax for the whole State, and has been paid by
every one in it, with the exception of these 7 Thakors. Even the 15 other Tha
kors of the same standing in the Bijapur Mahal have paid it without objection.
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About this item
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Report of the Baroda Enquiry Commission on the administration of the government of Malharrao, Gaekwar of Baroda. The Commission comprised Richard John Meade (President), Edward William Ravenscroft, Mumtazul Dowlah Nawab An honorific title; an official acting as a provincial deputy ruler in South Asia; or a significant Muslim landowner in nineteenth century India. Faiz Ali Khan, Colonel Alfred Thomas Etheridge and Thomas Duncan Mackenzie (Secretary).
The report comprises a letter from the members of the Baroda Enquiry Commission to the Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign Department presenting their report on the results of the proceedings and submitting copies of correspondence, reports and statements relative to the enquiry (ff 5-19):
Appendix A, Part I
- Schedules I-III: Complaints and grievances against the Gaekwar's Government from individuals and groups (ff 21-78).
- Appendix B, Schedules I-III: Cases of complaint and grievance which the commission did not look into during the enquiry (ff 79-81).
- Appendix C: Letter from Colonel Richard John Meade, President, Special Commission of Enquiry on Baroda Affairs, to Colonel Robert Phayre, Resident at Baroda, 1 November 1873 (ff 82-83).
- Appendix D: Translation of an amended notice issued by the Resident to complainants desirous of appearing before the Baroda Enquiry Commission (ff 84-85).
- Appendix E: Schedules presented to the Commission along with Colonel Phayre's introductory statement regarding them. (ff 86-131).
- Appendix F: Letter No. 1128 of 1873 from Colonel Phayre to the President, Baroda Commission regarding the cases already submitted to the Commission, the List of undisposed petitions to be attended to by the Resident which could be used as additional cases if required and the statements that he had yet to make on cases under enquiry by the Commission (ff 132-133).
- Appendix G, Schedule I: Statements from witnesses with cross examination statements from the Durbar A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family). on behalf of the Gaekwar and statements from the Resident as to the accuracy of the information provided (ff 134-229).
Appendix Part II (ff 231-245)
- Letter from James Braithwaite Peile, Acting Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Kattywar [Kathiawar] to T D Mackenzie, Secretary, Baroda Commission, 13 December 1873 regarding papers requested by the Commission and informing them that the outstanding paper will be forwarded as soon as they are received. Enclosed with the letter are a memorandum from Peile for reconstitution of His Highness the Gaekwar's Contingent in Kattywar, 13 December 1873 and Rule for the guidance of the Officers and Kamdars appointed to the Contingent of Horse of His Highness the Gaekwar, serving in the various Tributary Mahals according to treaty.
- Letter from Peile to Mackenzie, 6 January 1874, forwarding a report and returns received from Colonel Walker, Superintendent to the Gaekwar's Contingent in Kattywar and stating that he does not concur with the Colonel's opinion. Enclosed with this letter is a letter from Colonel Chamberlen William Walker, 30 December 1873, providing the information on the Contingent requested by the Commission and enclosing an extract of the Contingents annual report for 1871 and a statement of the men within the Contingent on duty under officials paid by Talukdars etc, 06 March 1872.
- Letters from John Whaley Watson, Acting Political Superintendent Pahlanpur [Palanpur], Captain Henry Nicholas Reeves, Acting Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. Rewa Kanta [Rewa Kantha] and Major Philip Harrison Le Geyt, Acting Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Mahi Kanta [Mahi Kantha] to the secretary of the Baroda Commission 19 December 1873 to 9 January 1874 reporting on the Gaekwar's contingents serving within their districts and commenting on numbers of men, pay and conditions. The letters all refer to enclosed returns, but only the return for Mahi Kanta is included in the report.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (249 folios)
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the main sequence of foliation consists of a small pencil number in the top front right hand corner of each folio enclosed in a circle.
There is also an original sequence of foliation which consists of larger pencil numbers also in the top front right hand corner of folios, however the sequence is not consistent and some of the numbers may be filing references rather than foliation numbers.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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- Reference
- Mss Eur F126/78
- Title
- 'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:248v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence