the District of Noowerakalaioiya. 179 



terms, pull each other's hair, then shriek and run away from 

 each other, and so the matter ceases. Serious assaults, rob- 

 beries, murders, are all but unknown, and during three years 

 I have not had to punish one native of the district for pilfer- 

 ing. 



Cattle stealing used to prevail to a great extent, but has 

 been much checked since this matter was placed in the hands 

 of the District Judges. It is still carried on to some extent on 

 the borders of Seven Korles and (latterly) of Manaar, but three 

 fourths of the charges now investigated prove utterly false. 



The people are fond of litigation, but not I believe to the 

 same extravagant extent as elsewhere, and numerous disputes 

 are settled by reference to the Assistant Agent without going 

 to the Courts of law at all; and some such system as this seems 

 to be infinitely the best adapted to the people. 



Future Prospects. 

 The soil on the major part of the District being good, there 

 can be no doubt that agriculture will receive more and more 

 attention. Roads are being formed in every direction, and if 

 Government took up the matter of Tank repair with spirit, I 

 believe that Noowerakalawiya would profit thereby fully as 

 much as any district in Ceylon. 



