162 COTTON IN THE MADRAS PRESIDENCY. [CHAP. T. 



one of the Members of Council suggested that the land 

 might be worked during the coming season, but not 

 beyond the season. Sir Henry Pottinger however in- 

 sisted upon the immediate transfer of the 

 Parm to the Collector ; and he expressed 

 his surprise that Dr. Wight, who had once 

 recommended a remission of half the land 

 assessment, should now have actually agreed 

 to pay, not merely the whole of that assess- 

 ment, but an additional compensation of 

 one half more, and in some cases a rent 

 amounting in the aggregate to double the 

 assessment ; — a proceeding which it was 

 impossible for the people to understand, 

 and which could only deter them from com- 

 peting with the Government who possessed 

 such a command of money and means. The 

 Government order was then drafted in ac- 

 cordance with Sir Henry Pottinger's first 

 recommendations. Dr. Wight appealed. 

 He explained that when procurable he had 

 obtained Government waste land ; but that 

 otherwise he had been compelled to rent 

 lands of the Puttahdars, or Byots, who were 

 to all intents and purposes proprietors of 

 the land. This practice had been in force 

 prior to his undertaking the charge of the Parms at 

 Coimbatore, and was altogether unavoidable ; as the 

 lands could not be obtained without the payment of 

 compensation to the Ryots, and the amount of com- 

 pensation had been fixed before he was appointed. Dr. 

 Wight also represented that his Farm had been repeat- 

 edly ploughed for the coming season, and that conse- 

 quently from two-thirds to three-fourths of the expense 

 had been already incurred ; all of which would be lost 

 unless the crop was grown. He added that this pecu- 

 niary loss would be small in comparison with those 

 injurious effects on the agricultural community, which 

 were likely to follow the abrupt breaking up of an 

 establishment, which had been in operation for many 

 years, and when it was generally known that nearly all 



Mr. D. El- 

 liott's Mi- 

 nute, 12th 

 May, 1849. 

 Pari. Return 

 (1857), p, 213. 



Para. 121. 



Sir Henry 

 Pottinger's 

 Memoran- 

 dum, 12th 

 May, 1849. 

 Pari. Return 

 (1857), p. 212. 



Minutes of 

 Consulta- 

 tion, 1st 

 June, 1849. 

 Pari. Return 

 (1857), p. 213. 



Dr. Wight's 

 letter, 11th 

 June, 1849. 

 Pari. Return 

 (1857), p. 216. 



Para. 39. 



