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effected, though it has fallen short of what was hoped for at the time. Probably the great majority of those who took part in this movement, excluding the officials European and native, had no more elementary education than was required for the purpose of keeping accounts.

(Mr. Barkley also suggests, to discourage early consummation of infant marriages, an enactment to be made like Section 37 of Act XV of 1865, which runs as follows:-" Notwithstanding anything herein before contained, no suit shall be brought in any court to enforce any marriage between Parsis or any contract connected with or arising out of any such marriage, if at the date of the institution of the suit, the husband shall not have completed the age of 16 years or the wife shall not have completed the age of 14 years." But he would not pass any such enactment if not desired by a large proportion of Hindus.)

58. DIWAN RAMNATH DISTRICT JUDGE, HOSHIARPUR.— 1stly. In provinces like Bengal and Bombay the learned classes of several castes and under-castes may be induced to ask the Government to pass an Act similar to the Parsi Marriage Act, and in that Act a provision might be made for the illegality of minor marriages. If an attempt of this kind were made in those provinces, it would partially encourage learned natives of the sister provinces to follow their example.

2ndly. The District and Municipal Board members should be now and then rewarded, who make an example in their own families againgst infant marriage.

3rdly. Pandits and Brahmans, Lambardars and Panches who strive to make people believe that infant marriage is a greater sin than allowing maidens to reach womanhood without marriage, should also be taken special notice of.

4thly. Brahmins be appointed by the Local Boards who would undertake to preach and use their influence for good, on this question.

5thly. Chairs be allowed before officers to the heads of the several tribes who effectually and heartily assist in the reform.

59. KANWAR BIKRAMA SINGH AHLUWALIA, C. S. I.I would propose that parents be allowed to enter into betrothal contracts on behalf of their children, whenever they think fit to do so; but when the marriage takes place it should be registered in some Government office. Betrothals need not be registered, as the death of one of the betrothed parties does not debar the other from being betrothed again and married to some other person. The registration of marriage of boys under 14, and girls under 12, should be refused as unlawful, but the registration of marriage of boys and girls above the fixed age should be compulsory. But should parents or the married couple wish to have marriages registered after the couple attain the fixed age, they should be required to pay a larger fee by way of penalty, as in the case of unstamped documents produced in evidence. An unregistered marriage when disputed in a court of law should be regarded as inadmissible documentary evidence which is not stamped. This rule of registration will, in all probability, act as a preventive to early marriage.

60. RAI MULRAJ M. A. EXTRA ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER GURDASPUR.-One of the great causes of why the sufferings of humanity in India have not been much removed in this direction, lies in the denational character of our reformers and the measures of reformation which are proposed from time to time. Our reformers attack everything at one and the same time. They assail religion, caste, and all that is dear to the Hindu when they propose any measure of reform, and they invoke the aid of Government in matters in which it should least interfere. The result is that they set the whole country against themselves and their measures of reformation, and make it impossible for the people to consider dispassionately the merits. of the particular measure which is proposed for the good of the nation.

61. CHIEF COMMISSIONER CENTRAL PROVINCES (MR. CROSTHWAITE).-When a large number of Hindu women are educated, infant marriages and enforced widowhood will disappear.

62. CHIEF COMMISSIONER BRITISH BURMA (MR. BERNARD ).—The Government and their officers, by their publications, by their utterances, and by their demeanour, may usefully show that they are on the side of reformers in these matters. Countenance can be shown, small grants of public money can be made, and local facilities can be given to reforming organizations such as Mr. Malabari describes.

63. MR. LUXMON G. RISHI, DEPUTY EDUCATINAL INSPECTOR, BASIM DISTRICT.-It is most desirable that at least no girl under the age of 12, and no boy under 18 or 20, should be married................. .It may be enacted, if necessary, that parents wishing to marry their daughter below the age of 12, should deposit in the Government Treasury a certain sum in her name, and for her exclusive use, that would pay an interest sufficient for her maintenance in after life, in case she becomes a widow. This would act as a powerful deterrent to the practice of infant marriage. In the same manner, no parents or guardians should marry a girl to an old man, or to one who is decidedly far advanced in age, or when great disparity of ages exists between the would-be couple; but should they wish to do so the parents or guardians, as being the sacrificers of the unfortunate girl, should be obliged to make a provision similar to the above.

64. GABUSING, SPECIAL MAGISTRATE AKOT..-It should be enacted that the marriages of Hindu girls should be legally registered, making the contracts under the age 11 and 18 of the bride and bridegroom respectively objectionable, while the unregistered ones not only invaid but subject to some heavy fine.

The marriage of a girl with a man above the age of 40 should also be made subject to the production of a health certificate from licensed medical officers, in addition to the deposi

tion of at least 2000 Rs. worth of estate in favour of the bride, distinctly apart from any claims of her relations during her life-time.

65. VISHNU MORLESHWAR MAHAJANI M. A. HEAD MASTER AKOLA.-All that the Government should do is to indirectly help the movement forward, and provided the aid does not assume the form of any restriction, it will be welcomed by a large section of the community. In this direction, district and other high officers can do much if they gain the confidence of the leaders of the native society......... ..We must make efforts.........We must form associations, and if we get the sympathy of our English friends so much the better.

66. SHRIKRISHNA NARHAR, EXTRA ASSISTANT COMMISSIONOR ELLICHPUR.-If however Government is at all minded to take part in this matter, the proper course would be to convene together all the spiritual heads of the Hindus, and ask their consent to a few and fundamental reforms. Persons should not be denominated heads merly because they have wealth or temporal power, but should be carefully selected from among those who really possess great religious influence over the people at large. Such, for instance are the Shankar Acharia, the Madhavacharya, the Ramanuyacharya, the Pandits of Benares, Nassik, Nagpur, Pandharpur, Poona, Mathura, and other places which are great Brahminical centres. If such an important diet were called into existence and proposals submitted to them, the legislation will have a very great moral support, and the populace will very easily acquiesce.........I am what Mr. Malabari calls a let-alone-is out and out, and put forward the above proposal only on the supposition that the Government of India are anxious to move in the matter.

67. SHRIRAM BHIKAJI JATAR, B. A., DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION, HYDRABAD ASSIGNED DISTRICTS.-I entirely agree with Mr. Malabari in what he says regarding the beneficial effects of "friendly sympathy" and "personal interest" on the part of the executive officers of Government. Of course no definite rules can be laid down; but much good is

likely to be done to the cause of social reform if men who evince moral courage, and break through a pernicious but long standing custom are especially encouraged by Government. If the conduct of such men be considered equivalent to meritorious services to the State and rewarded accordingly, the appreciation on the part of Government will be a great recompense to them for the social persecutions which they have to undergo....

......

The suggestion made in the last paragraph regarding a "National association" has my hearty approval; but in my opinion the most effectual means for carrying out social reforms is the spread of education.

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68. HARI MORESHWAR SHEVADE HEAD MASTER A. V. SCHOOL MALKAPUR.-The educated should before all others proceed to establish a national reform association, and enlist sympathizers. The agitation of public opinion by newspaper and monthly magazine writers, impressive representations from the chair and the pulpit, and the departments of education inserting lessons on the subject throughout the serial Readers, should be among the preliminary stps..........Our reformers must take the example of the Scottish Missionaries who are labouring so hard for the cause of Christianity all over this country. 69. WAMAN NARAYEN BAPAT TEHSILDAR, CHANDUR TALUK. The most obnoxious of early marriages are marriages of girls of 12 with dotards of 50 and 60. These can never be too sufficiently condemmed. They are brought about by wretches of fathers and mothers of viction girls from mercenary motives. Here you may strike as hard and deep as you can...In all such marriages Government should rule that the girls must be atleast 12. At this age a girl can choose and express her choice. Government should appoint a respectable punch in each caste to see that the girl consents of her own free will, and that such consent should be recorded.........Every caste is simply unanimous in its abhorence of these vile bargains and will go with Government, not against it.

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