354 



MANUAL OP THE NILAGIRI DISTRICT. 



CHAP. XIII, 

 PAKT II. 



Modifications 

 in 1S58. 



Redemption 

 of laud-tax 

 sanctioned. 

 Causes of 

 variety of 

 tenures on 

 the Hills. 



(3.) Collector empowered to allot for houses and gardens land not 

 exceeding half cawnie, at ordinary rate of assessment, to " East Indians, 

 Natives of the agricultural classes, Europeans of the lower orders, 

 pensioners and others." The grant might contain any special con- 

 ditions. 



(4.) On receipt of application Collector to make full inquiry regard- 

 ing claims thereto, character of land, if forest, whether it should be 

 reserved. 



(5.) Report to be sent to Board of Revenue with plan. 



(6.) On their approval land to be put up to public auction, upset 

 price ordinarily eight to ten years' assessment ; ordinary assessment to 

 be levied yearly. 



(7.) Fee-simple not sold ; lease for agricultural objects not to exceed 

 30 years, for building purposes 99 years, renewable every 33 years at 

 option of lessee without fine or enhancement of assessment. Agri- 

 caltaral leases liable to re-assessment at termination of lease. 



(8.) Applicant to satisfy Collector regarding his means. 



(9.) Certain portion of grant to be brought in given period into 

 cultivation, or lease liable to be declared null and void ; portions not 

 cultivated liable to forfeiture. 



(10.) Uncultivated portions inalienable. 



(11.) Lessee to erect and maintain boundary-marks. 



(12.) Lessee to respect and grant rights of way, but in case of 

 public roads, &c., &c., to be entitled to compensation, to be settled by 

 arbitration. 



(13.) Control over all streams, springs, reservoirs and channels of 

 irrigation reserved " in the fullest manner" by Government. Diver- 

 sion of streams requires sanction of revenue authorities. 



(14.) Minerals reserved by Government. 



(15.) Government may grant lands, without inviting competition, 

 on special conditions. 



These are the principal provisions relating to immigrants, minor 

 articles and those relating to the Todas having been omitted. 



The instructions were amended in 1858 as follows : — 



(1.) Upset price to be fixed by the Collector. 



(2.) The rule regarding applicants' means to be omitted. 



(3.) The penalties for non-cultivation to be omitted. 



(4.) Alienation of uncultivated portions allowed, if first registered 

 in Collector's Office. 



In 1859 the redemption of the land-tax was authorised at 

 twenty years' purchase, subsequently raised to twenty-five years. 

 Such has been the history of the phases of the action of 

 Government in relation to the occupation of lands prior to the 

 introduction of the present Waste Land Rules ; and tenures of 

 land in the cantonment of Ootacamand in a special degree, 

 and in the stations and outlying country tracts as far as immi- 

 grants are concerned, are as various as the phases of their action. 



