I believe that if the marriageable age be fixed at 12 for the female, and 16 for the male-and, that in any case the difference between the ages of the bride and bridegroom as regards minors shall not be less than four, and as regards a minor female and a grown-up male, it shall not be more than 15 (the evil would be prevented.)"

28. LALSHANKAR UMIASHANKAR.-I believe the social efforts will be much strengthened by co-operation and moral support of Government in the following particulars :—

1. Lessons showing the evils, in various forms, should be introduced in all vernacular text books teaching the 3rd and higher standards.

2. Essays, tracts, and books on the subject should be largely used as prize books.

3. District officers should use their moral influence, and assist the associations in persuading people to introduce the reform; and to express their disapproval, should not attend any infant marriage party or procession.

4. Till 18 years of age, an unmarried boy should be preferred to a married one, in awarding scholarships.

I am also of opinion that, the State should adopt legislative measures to remove this evil, as soon as possible. There are persons who say that, social reform should take place from within, and that the State should not interfere in it, unless essentially necessary. But this applies to social questions that have no direct bearing on the public welfare.....................

Even purely social practices when they become detrimental to others, come within the province of legislative action. For instance, custom would allow the use of indecent expressions on Shimga Holidays, but law would stop it. The criterion of legislative assistance is thus, not whether a thing is connected with social reform, but whether it affects public welfare. I believe no reasonable man will deny that the effects of infant marriages on society are disastrous.......

Considering the present State of society, I think, the minimum marriageable age of bridegrooms only should at present be fixed at 18 years by law...............I would therefore suggest some provision like the following in the Minors' Act (Act XX of 1864) which already vests the care of persons of all minors in the Bombay Presidency in Civil Courts.

1. No guardian, whether appointed by the Court or not, shall without written permission of the Civil Court, celebrate the marriage of a male minor before he has completed his 18th year.

2. On the application of a guardian or friend of a male minor, the court, under special circumstances, after recording its reasons, may, permit the marriage before the age prescribed in the above clause.

To make these rules effective, some penalty should be prescribed for those who are concerned in the celebration of a marriage contrary to the law. The real evil in the case of girls is in the early consummation of marriage. This evil is likely to increase when big boys marry infant girls. To remedy this, the age of 10 years mentioned in section 375 of the Indian Penal Code should be raised to 12 years. To receive money for giving a bride is condemned both by Shastras and public opinion. Such a practice should therefore be made penal. This will to a certain extent prevent a young girl being given to a very old man.

29. GOVINDRAO BABAJI JOSHI.-Some of the persons engaged in the discussion of the subject (early marriage) have already seen sons of their sons. Though such is the state of things, yet it is extremely lamentable that they do not seem to think seriously of making any improvement with regard to this evil custom, in the case of the marriages of their own children.

Nor is the condition of our widows any better.

The educated men of the present day who think it highly desirable that the practice of widow marriage should be in

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troduced among the prohibited classes, while addressing meetings of people, say: "the poor helpless widowed girls are absolutely undone; their distress and hardship are horrible even to contemplate; the butcher cuts the throat of an animal but once, and the consequent pain and torture are over in a moment once for all, but the unceasing sufferings of the destitute widows are life-long" and a deal of talk of this kind. Should, however, early widowhood be the lot of one of *The auspicious their own daughters of tender years, not a single mark of red pow- one of them hesitates to wife off her kunka,* der on the forehead of married to break her bangles, and get her head shaved. Thus it will be seen that matters have come

Hindu women.

to a mournful pass.

Why is this difference between our word and deed.

Children in their first endeavous to walk frequently meet with falls, and at such a time, their parents holding the little ones by the hand, teach them to walk. Similarly this country is at present in a helpless state of infancy.

From very ancient times preceding the British rule, the course of Government in the country has been this, that the king shows the way, and the subjects simply follow it. And this is the reason why the people of this country are so much. attached to their sovereigns, and pay them divine reverence. I admit that by the spread of western knowledge among our people, a small portion of them are now beginning to distinguish, in a small measure, between the rights of the crown and the rights of the people. Still we are not yet so far advanced as to act for ourselves in all things. Therefore interference from Government seems desirable to guide us aright.

The wiews of Mr. Byramji M. Malabari on the subject in question are sound and considerate, and, therefore, Government will be pleased to assist us in the way recommended by him.

30. DR. ATMARAM PANDURANG.-If the University could be prevailed upon to withhold from granting prizes and

scholarships to married students, I believe it may do good, without hindering the progress of education itself.

31. UTAMRAM N. MEHTA.-The following remedies are suggested by this gentleman for preventing infant marriage and introducing widow marriage:-"(1) The formation of associations for the consideration of this subject and of the means to be adopted to prevent these practices, (2) the co-operation of the Hindu church, (3) and of the Hindu States, (4) the moral support of those who are in authority, (5) the efforts of the educated, the influential, and the wealthy, (6) the great spread of education among the males and females."

In order to find out whether the progress of social reform is slow or rapid, he suggests entries to be made in all school registers and in Educational Reports of the numbers of married and unmarried students. He also suggests that District Officers should preside or attend at Social Reform Meetings.

32. MANMOHANDAS DAYALDAS.-The meaning we attach to the words "Infant Marriage" is marriage contracted in a state of ignorance. Whatever the age of a girl or boy may be, it is still an infant marriage, if the contracting parties are ignorant of what marriage or love is, how that feeling is created, what woman is intended for &c. The best means of preventing infant marriage is to impart instruction in these subjects through books &c. Besides, parents should also behave well in the presence of children.

33. PANDIT NARAYEN KESOW VAIDYA.-There have been lectures given from the platform, essays written which carried away splendid prizes, sermons preached from the pulpit, but practical action has been mil.

That can be achieved by legislation, and that only...... It is desirable that Government should legislate, and fix the respective ages of boys and girls at 16 and 11, which in my opinion, considering the climatic circumstances of the country, appear to be neither too high nor too low.

34. PANDIT GUTTULAL.-There exists a practice according to which parents and others, with the object of getting money, marry their daughters &c., to very young and sometimes to very old persons. This is a very sinful practice, which is particularly disapproved of by the people, and by the Shastras, and should in every way be put a stop to; because great blame attaches to the selling of girls............It seems necessary that a law, which would be in conformity with the Shastras, should be made, in order that this great principle of religion may be strictly observed.

35. GOKULDAS KAH ANDAS PAREKH.-Influential movements should be organized, each including all such castes as are of the same social standing and mix at dinner, for the purpose of removing all restrictions against marriage, when the parties, though not belonging to the same caste or subdivision, belong to castes which mix with each other at dinner. If these movements fail, then my proposal is that, in the event of a man marrying the girl of a person belonging to another caste or subdivision of the same caste with whom the members of his caste mix at food, the legislature should restrain the caste of the husband from excommunicating him, and of the parents of the bride from excommunicating them. By restraining I mean, that the legislation should declare such action on the part of the caste illegal, and visit it with a small fine. In most cases the castes and subdivisions of caste, that mix in food, are off-shoots of one original caste.

I consider it necessary to state why, when in my opinion the proposal that I make would be acceptable to a large majority of the people, they should not arrange this among themselves, and why a necessity, under certain circumstances, for in voking the assistance of the legislature is anticipated. The reason is abvious. This movement cannot be a movement of one or two castes, but of all castes of the same grade united: the combined castes form such an unwieldy and massive body that their opinion could not be obtained. As regards individuals, they are afraid to be severed from their relations by