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'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [171v] (347/502)
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.
2
of his complaints, but that in consequence of his failing to do so, his case has not
been enquired into.
3rd. That he has embezzled public money, and has not given m the accounts
of his Mahal.
4(72,. That there are now pending against him before 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).
several
charges of bribery and oppression.
§th. That though directed to proceed to his Mahal to give over charge to
his successor, he has not done so.
Final Statement by the Eesident.
The petitioner complains that after making an agreement with the Minister
to manage the Kheiralu Mahal for five years, and after paying the Minister
as a nazarana Rs. 10,000 for the privilege, besides nazaranas of Rs. 1,500
to Naravenbhai, the Deputy Sir Suba, and Rs. 500 to Gopalrao, the Minister s
Vakil
Elected representative or attorney, acting in legal matters such as contracting marriage, inheritance, or business; a high-ranking legal official; could also refer to a custodian or administrator.
, he had been deprived of his management after a few months, i he
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).
deny that the Mahal was let for more than one year, but it_ is noticeable that
the petitioner was not left in charge even for this short period. Moreover the
fact of bribery is not affected by such a question one way or other With
reference to clause 2 of 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).
's explanation, it may be reraar ed t iat had
the petitioner obtained 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).
any reasonable hope of a settlement of
his case, it is most improbable that he would not have availed himseli 01 the
opportunity. The petitioner, however, states that for upwards of two months he
was in constant attendance on the Minister, 'trying to get a hearing, and that he
was induced to appeal to the Resident as a last resource. The Resident s reasons
for not sending this case up 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).
after some time had elapsed aie fully
stated in his letter to Government No. dated 18th September 1873.
Statements 3, 4, and 5 are irrelevant; besides, the Resident is aware that
when this case was first reported, attempts were made to buy off the petitioner.
The Resident respectfully submits that his chief object in bringing forward
the case was, to illustrate and reform the most pernicious practice of the Minister
of a State, and the revenue officials, trading in high civil and judicial appoint
ments of this kind. There can be no doubt that this system of farming the
Mahals on payment of heavy nazaranas is a system generally prevalent throughout
the whole of the Baroda District, and has been carried to excess during the present
administration. Hence the petitioner and others of this class have been induced
to run heavily into debt, under promises that they would secure a five-years tenure
of an appointment by paying a certain amount, in several instances like the
present, these promises have been broken, the bribe retained, and the purchaser
of the appointment ruined. Whether such conduct is becoming the character of
a Prime Minister, and whether those who have committed such crimes ought not
to be advised to restore what they have taken as a warning to others, are ques
tions of reform which it would appear desirable to suggest for such a State as
Baroda, because it appears to be no advance whatever in that cause for high
officials to say that they are sorry for certain offences against their own laws,
when at the same time they are allowed to retain their ill-gotten gains and enjoy
them, whilst their victims are sent to jail.
About this item
- Content
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