Report on the Administration of the Punjab and its Dependencies, for 1888-89

· 1889 · Public domain (published pre-1930) · archive.org ↗

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3PUNJAB ADMINISTRATION REPORT, 1888-89. [ Chap.

55. Patidla, Jind, Nabha and Bthéwivpur.—in Patidla the marriage of

6the Mahdrdja was celebrated in November last with great rejoicings, His Ex-

7cellency the Marquis of Dufferin and Ava, the Lieutenant-Governor and several

8Chiefs being present on the occasion. The Patidla-Bhatinda Railway made good

9progress during the year, and the line has since been opened for traffic.

10The administration of the Bahdwalpur State does not call for any special

11notice. Allusion was made in last year’s Report to the death of the Raja of Jind in

12March 1887, and the appointment of a Council of Regency to administer the

13State during the minority of his grandson. The young Chief was formally

14installed by the Lieutenant-Governor at Jind in February of last year, the Mahé.

15raja of Patidla and the Raja of N&bha being among the visitors who were present

16on the occasion. His Honor took the opportunity of impressing upon the

17members of the Council of Regency the necessity for devoting themselves with

18unanimity to the interests of the State and avoiding the pursuit of their own

19interests. The late Raja of Jind was a Chief who attended closely to the concerns

20of the State and was very intimate with the details of the administration, and it

21will be no light task for the Council to control and supervise affairs in the same

22manner and with similar success, So far the Council appear to be doing well.

23The Réja of Nabha has, it is to be regretted, remained in a broken state of health

24during the year.

256. Kapurthgla.—The finances have been satisfactorily manage, and, in

26spite of heavy military charges on account of the reorganized portion of the State

27army, the sum of four lakhs of rupees was invested in Government Promissory

28Notes. Physically and intellectually the Raja made good progress during the

29past year, and promises to become an able ruler when his minority shall terminate.

30The least satisfactory feature of this State is the working of the police. There was

31a large falling-off in the number of persons convicted in cognizable cases, although

32there was little or no diminution in the number of cases in which property was

33stolen, while the reported value of such property rose from ts. 8,423 in the

34previous year to Rs. 17,900, the value of property recoverel remaining almost

35the same, namely Rs. 2,592. The fine public buildings which have been under

36construction for some years have been completed at a total expenditure of nearly

37five lakhs of rupees. The Victoria Hospital for women and children was also

38finished during the year.

397. Mandii—The year under review proved rather an eventful one for

40the Mandi State. The Raja has never been a strong ruler, and the serious

41illness and ultimate death of the Wazir, Uttam Singh, left him unable to control

42all the elements of faction existing in his territory, and at one time the country

43people collected in large numbers, and disturbances were apprehended, This

44condition of affairs was produced by the attempts of rival partics to procure the

45appointment of Wazir, by the absence of any capable man among the officials of

46the State, and by the dislike of the people to the bestowal of power upon native

47officers from other parts of the country than Mandi. The Raja was persistent in

48asking for the services of an Kuropear officer, and after some discussion it was