EESTRICTIONS ON THE ALIENATION OF LANDS. 217 



the Bill the Government of India will disregard the suggestion, 

 which is not contained in its provisions, to group only these 

 tribes which are cognate, and will give full effect to the view of 

 the Punjab Government and its officers in considering the recom- 

 mendations of the Local Government under section 4 of the Bill. 

 I cannot too strongly insist upon the view, that the great danger 

 of the measure consists in the effect it will have on the small 

 agricultural tribes, which will often be found scattered in isola- 

 ted villages far distant from each other. The machinery for meeting 

 the case of such tribes is provided in the section I have quoted, 

 and I hope it will be freely utilized. 



I find it unnecessary to refer to any other provision of the 

 Bill which, on the assumption which I have explained, and subject 

 to the remarks I have made, I accept as the best measure that can 

 be devised for giving effect to the views of the Government of 

 India. I shall direct my best attention during the remainder of 

 my term of office to its working, and earnestly hope that it may 

 conduce more than I anticipate to the welfare of the agricultural 

 population of the Province. 



I will only add in conclusion that the legislation of this Bill 

 needs to be supplemented by a system of Agricultural Banks, and 

 that I listened with much satisfaction to the announcement of my 

 Hon'ble friend MB. RIVAZ that the Government of India had such a 

 system under consideration, and that of the Hon'ble Finance Member 

 that he regarded the project with special interest and proposed 

 shortly to take it in hand. 



THE HON'BLE MR. RIVAZ said : 



With reference to some of the views which have been expressed 

 in the speeches just delivered, I am afraid that I must ask the 

 Council to bear with me while, at the risk of exposing myself to 

 the charge of wearisome repetition, I make yet a few further re- 

 marks regarding that all-important part of our scheme which im- 

 poses restrictions on permanent and temporary alienations. I say 

 again that the main object of the scheme is to discourage, as far 

 as possible, members of agricultural tribes from selling their 

 lands. To those who, while agreeing that sales to professional 

 money-lenders ought to be prohibited, yet wish to leave the 

 market of sale unrestricted as regards members of all the agricul* 

 28 



