GRANT OF LOANS AND ADVANCES TO AGRICULTURISTS. 51 



outside 10 per cent, on the original advance, at which rate it is 

 calculated that the loan, with interest at 5 per cent., would be repaid 

 in 14 years. If, on the other hand, a period of 20 years is allowed 

 for repayment, the annual instalments need not be more than 8 per 

 cent, on the original advance; if 25 years, they might be reduced to 

 7 per cent. 



Advances to be managed by the Agricultural 



Department. 



4. Not only should the way be made easy for landowners to 

 apply for such advances, but they should be encouraged to do so by 

 the advice and influence of the district officers. We suggest there- 

 fore the advisability of entrusting this duty to the officer of the 

 Agricultural Department in each district, who should make it his 

 peculiar duty to encourage the landed classes to look to Government 

 rather than to money-lenders for advances of this kind, should advise 

 with them as to the objects on which money can be most usefully 

 laid out, and should supervise the proceedings of the native agency 

 through whom the details of the procedure must ordinarily te 

 carried on. 



Advances for objects outside the Act, and in 

 exceptional cases. 



5. Besides the advances given for the objects contemplated by 

 this Act, advances of another kind have been, and still are, made out- 

 side the Act, such as loans to help landowners to pay off debts, for 

 the purchase of bullocks or seed grain, and for the construction of 

 embankments and watercourses, loans without interest to some wild 

 tribes, or to facilitate the recovery of the country from famine. 

 It is undoubtedly well that provision should be made for giving assist- 

 ance in exceptional cases which do not come under this Act, and 

 peculiarly so when the country is recovering from so great a calamity 

 as that of famine. We have already proposed that the making of 

 loans to the landed classes should be a part of the regular system of 

 famine relief, and this measure should be liberally extended and 

 prolonged till the effects of the famine have passed away. There 

 may also be other cases of exceptional calamity, in which relief may 

 properly be given to deserving tenants or landlords by advances of 

 this kind ; and it is desirable that the district officers should, under 

 suitable rules, have the power of giving such assistance where the 



