1839.] Report on the District of Azimgurh. 119 



which the upper classes (Ushraf) have to engage with their own 



hands in any agricultural operations, would render it very difficult to 



persuade them to part with their rights. 



102nd. It is necessary to allude here to the great number of 



summary suits regarding the payment of rent, which are instituted 



in this district. The number is still increasing, and the causes 



Number of Suits in- which have produced so much litigation de- 

 stituted m the three first 

 quarters of 1823— 374 serve note. 



1834— 358 First, — The operations of the Special Commis- 



1835- 675 sion under Regulation I, 1821, and I, 1823, for 

 1837—1305 the reversal of fraudulent sales, and transfers of 



property ; was one of the chief causes. In the 

 early period of our rule the district suffered exceedingly from the 

 effects of our Code. This was hastily introduced, immediately on the 

 cession, and gave a rich harvest to numerous intriguers, who poured in 

 from the neighbouring districts which had been longer under our rule, 

 and were better accustomed to the tricks and chicanery, which an ar- 

 tificial system of the sort is likely to produce amongst an illiterate 

 people. The choice too of some of the first agents for introducing the 

 new system appears to have been unfortunate. The natural result 

 was, that extensive frauds were perpetrated both in the registration of 

 owners of estates at the time of the first settlement, and subsequently 

 in the transfer of property under forced and collusive sales. To 

 remedy this state of things was highly desirable, and the remedy 

 ought to have been promptly administered immediately the evil was 

 discovered. As it turned out, the attempted remedy was almost worse 

 than the evil. 



]03rd. In 1829, that is, twenty-six years after the commencement 

 of the evil, the Commission was called into operation in the district. 

 Its conduct was entrusted to Mr. R. M. Bird, the Commissioner 

 of Revenue and Circuit for the division, who was perfectly aware 

 of the necessity, and importance of the measure. The Regulations 

 quoted above confer an immense discretionary power, and admit 

 of great latitude of interpretation. Mr. Bird commenced the work 

 with energy, and began to act on the strong views he justly enter- 

 tained upon the subject. Had these views been then carried through 

 with promptitude and decision, great good might have resulted. An 

 immense number of suits were immediately instituted, but in the 

 mean time a change had taken place in the views of the superior 

 authorities on the subject of this Commission. Some of the first cases 

 decided by Mr. Bird gave rise to much discussion, and were reversed 

 in appeal. No further decisions were passed, and the time of the 



