PRICES OF RICE AT KRISHNAGAR

To The Editor Of The Statesman

SIR, – In The Statesman of October 21st it was stated that the Nadia District Board and the Krishnagar Central Co-operative Bank are selling Burma rice at Rs 6-8 per maund, thereby relieving local distress. Aus rice is selling at Rs 6-4 per maund. The figures given above are not correct. The Burma rice is being sold at Krishnagar at the cost price Rs 6-4 per maund and the Aus rice is being sold at the market – the coarse kind at Rs 6-14 and the better kind at Rs 7-8 per maund. The poor people of Krishnagar and of its neighbouring villages are grateful to the District Board and the Central Bank for their kindly arranging the sale of the Burma rice and thereby bringing down the market price of rice to a very great extent. The District Board of Nadia is also selling Burma rice at the cost price in all the mofussil sub-divisions of the Nadia District, viz., Ranaghat, Chuadanga, Kushtia, and Meherpur.

BISWAMBHAR RAY.

Vice President, District Board, Nadia.

THE VICTORIA MEMORIAL

To The Editor Of The Statesman

SIR, – In reply to the letter regarding the Victoria Memorial, it does seem presumptuous upon the part of a Nemo to stand for the educated and refined feelings of public opinion in Calcutta. Nemo’s criticism is based, without a doubt, upon ignorance of historical and architectural knowledge, as the features referred to, viz., the handsome vase finals on the angle towers, which will not look so isolated as they do now when the shallow dome features are added to these towers, are characteristic of English Renaissance architecture and not of the conflicting styles prevalent in the Victorian period. These appropriate finishing features will symbolise the crowning jewels of a worthy Queen and will scintillate as gems in the bright tropical sun, without disturbing the dignity, magnificence and repose, and not severe simplicity, of this sublime and grand conception, the Memorial Building. He criticises work before it is completed, which, as everybody knows, is the case in regard to the entrance gates and the Memorial Building itself.

NEMESIS. Calcutta.

GOVERNMENT GOLD AND SPECULATION

To The Editor Of The Statesman

SIR, – The Government of India offered, under certain conditions, to sell 20 lakhs of tolahs of gold bullion. The object of this offer, so far as I could understand, was to ease the gold market and prevent the melting down of sovereigns which was undoubtedly going on to an unprecedented extent. For a time the price of gold bullion came down and it appeared as if the true laudable object mentioned above will be achieved. But then your inevitable speculator came on the scene. Extensive dealings in “futures” became the order of the day and attempts began to be made to corner the gold offered by the Government by means of unjustifiably high tenders. Prices went soaring up once again. And today the position is this, the real consumer again finds himself faced with almost the same price that prevailed before the Government gold came in the market, with an unmistakable tendency towards a further rise.

SUMERCHAND JAIN.

Delhi.