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Governor was partially adopted. Inducements, 

 higher wages, were offered by those planters who 

 were reduced to the greatest straits. The temptation 

 had its effect. Coolies under engagements for a term 

 of years, broke their contracts and deserted in bodies. 

 The planter who to-day hugged himself in the belief 

 that the next day he should pluck a full crop of leaves, 

 awoke on the morrow to find half his Coolies gone. 

 Ill-feeling- naturally arose. Every planter looked 

 upon his neighbour with suspicion and distrust. 

 True, the planter could prosecute each Coolie for 

 breach of contract and imprison him for fifteen days ; 

 but what could he gain? an infinity of trouble, and 

 the loss of his time and more money. 



At this juncture, the Government of Bengal turned 

 its attention to the advancement of Public Works. 

 Here was a chance for the Province. Paternal by 

 tradition, and wise in the wants of the Province 

 by experience, the Government would surely import 

 labour in large quantities for the prosecution of the 

 roads, bridges, and other works it proposed to take 

 in hand. It would, possibly, now adopt a sug- 

 gestion which so often came up from Assam, viz. to 

 employ Jail labour on useful Public Works. Vain 

 hope ! Labour was not imported ; and to employ 

 convicts, it was objected, would make Assam a 

 penal province. The Public Works Department 

 backed by the whole power of the Government, and 

 with its unlimited capital, entered the labour market 

 of the province already strained to the utmost limit. 



