224 FOREST LIFE AND SPORT IN INDIA 
and employer ; but codes are various, and we cannot 
expect any general and instantaneous adherence to 
the details of any new one we may introduce. We 
have also a duty quite as stern as that of inflicting 
penalties for a breach of our laws, and that is to 
insure that no undue temptation has been allowed 
to assault the criminal; the higher the standard of 
probity, the greater protection should we afford 
against a fall. The question was whether this 
had been done in the Forest Department, which 
equally with the Police was constantly being held up 
to public opprobrium for the crimes of oppression 
and bribery; had the salaries of its officers been 
fixed after taking into consideration that emolu- 
ments formerly customary were now prohibited, and 
had they been increased in proportion with the 
increase of the cost of living and with the decreased 
value of the mediums of payment? The reply seemed 
to be undoubtedly in the negative. 
Thirty years ago the basis of wages may have 
been fairly adjusted ; they probably were so, judging 
by the ease of recruitment to the department; but 
since then matters had altered, as a few specimen 
instances would show. Then the price of wheat- 
flour, a staple food in Northern India, stood at 
about 40 pounds or more for the rupee, and other 
food grains at proportionate rates; the hire of a 
four-bullock cart was 1 rupee a day, and a coolie 
could be maintained for 4 rupees a month or less; 
while the value of the rupee was about 2s. It was 
now a token representing 1s. 4d.; wheat-flour oftener 
sold at 16 pounds than at 24 pounds, and cart-hire had 
been raised a hundred per cent. or more. The rise 
