OCCASIONAL NOTE

The Calcutta Corporation, at its meeting last week, discussed the financial side of a scheme for the assistance of primary education in the city, the question at issue being the apportionment of cost between the Corporation and the Government. The debate was adjourned, and remains to be completed. In the meantime the Hon. Rai Radha Churn Pal Bahadur has written a lengthy letter explaining his view of the financial position of the Corporation in relation to the subject. In brief, he holds that the cost of the scheme has been under-estimated, and that the municipal resources which are available for the purpose are not so elastic as has been supposed, and that, if the Corporation is to take up this additional responsibility, it ought to be provided with additional sources of income. He points out that the Bombay Corporation has sources of expanding revenue which the Calcutta Corporation does not possess. The question is one of importance to the ratepayers, and, while different views were expressed during last week’s debate as to the financial ability of the Corporation to take up the new scheme, Rai Radha Churn Pal has given a very clear statement of his view of the case which demands careful consideration.

PERILS OF THE SEA

A thrilling story of the sea was told the other day when a brig was picked up in the Bay outside the Sunderbunds, badly knocked about and having on board fifty men, six women, and a newly born child, all in a somewhat exhausted condition. It appears that the crew, who belong to the Maldive Islands, off Ceylon, do a large trading business by selling and buying stuff in the neighbouring islands. About two months ago the vessel carrying a full cargo of foodstuffs, was caught in a gale soon after leaving port and was carried out to sea, and she pitched and tossed about the Bay in a helpless condition till it was picked up the other day by the steam launch Harsia of the Forest Department. The crew, with their women folk and the child which was born at sea were taken on board and the brig was towed into port and is lying in the stream off the River Steam Coal Depot. The crew and the women and child have been placed in the cooly lines, where they are being cared for.

KARACHI S SEASIDE SUBURB

Mr. Jehangir H. Kothari, who a few months ago presented to Karachi valuable land worth about one lakh and three-quarters to make possible the creation of a handsome promenade at Cliffton, the seaside suburb, the foundation stone of which was laid by the Governor of Bombay on his visit to Karachi has now offered through the Commissioner in Sind to provide a handsome stone pier leading from the parade to the waterside at a cost of about three lakhs of rupees. One of the conditions of the offer is that the pier shall be named after Lady Lloyd, and it is hoped that Lady Lloyd will lay the foundation stone on the Governor’s next visit to Karachi in December. Mr. Kothari is a well known Parsi gentleman who is acting as honorary treasurer in Sind of the principal war funds and who has given large sums to them and other public objects.

ECONOMIC PROBLEMS OF THE PUNJAB

In the course of a Press communiqué the Punjab Government state that they have created a standing board of economic enquiry in order to encourage the scientific study of the economic problems of the province. The board will be divided into two branches dealing with rural and urban problems, which include such questions as the size of holdings, economic holdings, consolidation of holdings, transfer of land, outturn of crops, incidents of tenancies, cost of cultivation, vital statistics, the housing of the poor, congestion in towns, infantile mortality, prices of food and wages, etc.

GIRL KILLED BY MOTOR CAR

On Monday, the Coroner held an inquest concerning the death of a little Bengali girl named Buri, who was run over and killed by a private motor car on the 15th instant in Upper Circular Road, in the jurisdiction of the Sukea Street thana. Evidence was taken to show that the chauffeur, Jitendra Nath Singha, drove away from the scene of the accident without rendering assistance but was subsequently traced and arrested. Sub-Inspector Saigal said that the first information was lodged at the thana by Mr. Donald, Chairman of the Calcutta Corporation, within half an hour of the accident. The jury found a verdict of rash and negligent driving against the chauffeur.