■ • • ( ix )• 



the direction of local self-government is to be looked for only 

 by entrusting to local-bodies more and more of the work of' 

 real administration, and the suggestions as to the manner in 

 which these bodies might be utilized in advising the Govern- 

 ment in regard to legislation upon social matters, appear to 

 His Excellency the Governor in Council to be of much 

 practical value. In the last paragraph of this chapter the 

 question of legislation for the control^ of native religious 

 endowments is mooted.* Upon this it is only necessary to 

 observe that the manner in which -these institutions are now 

 administered has lono- been acknowledsfed to be unsatis-: 

 factory and that the Government has at present under its 

 consideration a .draft Bill to provide for the more eflBcient 

 control of such endowments. 



10. The author concludes his valuable "Memorandum'* 

 with soine " general remarks in regard to the considerations 

 to be borne in mind in estimating the value of the results 

 achieved." He points to tlie condition of the country at the 

 beginning of the century "devastated by wars, famines and 

 bands of plunderers," and rightly observes that to under- 

 stand the full significance of the change which has come over 

 the country, one has to contrast what he sees at present, 

 unsatisfactory as it may appear from some points of view, 

 with the state of things, described above, and, having indi- 

 cated some of the evils which are inseparable from progress, 

 records his opinion, that " what remains to be done is 

 gradually to widen the foundations of Local Government and 

 make it strike deeper roots into society, so as to enable it t© 

 adjust its institutioiis to its needs as they arise, without 

 weakening in any way the power of the Central Government 

 to maintain a due balance between rival interests and creeds 

 and for interfering effectually when there is danger of such 

 balance being disturbed," and, referring to the change which 

 has taken place in' the feeling of the educated classes, who 

 are now apt to complain that progress does not proceed 

 fast enough, states his conviction that "the progress which 

 has been made under the new regime during the short time 

 it has been in force^fifty years is a brief interval in the 

 life of* a peopla— is httle short of marvellous." With this 

 conclusion His Excellency the Governor in Council fully 

 concurs-. 



11. Having thus noticed the salient features of this valu- 

 able work and expressed his general concurrence with the 

 conclusions arrived at by the author. His Excellency the 

 ■Governor in Council desires to record his high appreciation 



