1'ROVISION OF BORROWING FACILITIES. 273 



afford a wide experience ; and an important element in the choice 

 will be the personal character of the District Officer, and the decree 

 in which he possesses the confidence of, and exercises influence over, 

 the people. I shall explain presently how we propose to relieve the 

 District Officer when the societies have once been formed. But it is 

 he who must give the first impulse ; he must explain the new law 

 and preach the new gospel ; he must select the places in which the 

 experiment is most likely to succeed, and must suggest to the people 

 that they should try it, putting it to them as action to be taken, not 

 by Government but by themselves, while explaining how far and in 

 what way Government is ready to help them. 



Indeed, the active assistance and support of the District Officer 

 will be necessary in every case, until the new plant has taken firm 

 root and is strong enough to stand alone, and the officer who is in 

 immediate charge must work in constant consultation with him. 

 But we do not propose to burden him with the detailed care of the 

 societies. Hon'ble Members will observe that the Bill provides for 

 the appointment in each province of a Registrar, to whom somewhat 

 extensive powers have been given in order to secure that our 

 legislation is not taken advantage of by bogus societies. We 

 propose that he should be a whole-time officer specially selected for the 

 work, and that to him should be entrusted the care and supervision 

 of all the societies in the province. The advantage of concentrating 

 tin's duty in a single pair. of hands will be, that the experience of all 

 the societies will be placed at the disposal of each, since by watching 

 developments under various conditions the Registrar will gain 

 experience which will render him an invaluable adviser ; he will know 

 what has succeeded in one place or failed in another, and will be in a 

 position to point out defects and suggest remedies, and to prevent 

 the repetition of mistakes. For the first few years at least he will 

 constantly be going round, visiting the societies and watching their 

 progress, Criticising and assisting them, but as a friendly adviser 

 rather than|as an inspecting officer. As experience is accumulated 

 and the societies gain strength and are able to stand alone, and 

 as their numbers multiply, the 'dry-nurse' element will disappear 

 from his duties, which will become more purely official. 



* .1 have only one more point to touch upon. The first question 

 that will be asked that has indeed been asked already is, what is 

 (iovcnnnont going to do for these societies in the way of financial 



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