Gentlemen, it is a truism that the British Government has
conferred great benefits on this country : but one may be per-
mitted to express the opinion that the future historian of British
India will find grounds for adverse criticism in respect of a large
portion of our land legislation. As the Hon'ble Mr. Miller has
stated, much of our legislation connected with the land has
been based upon ideas which were peculiarly English, and which
found no analogy in the institutions or in the traditions of this
country. The eflfect of importing into India ideas on agrarian
questions which had their origin in feudal England has had a far



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reaching evil effect^ and has led the Government and the people of
this country into many embarrassments. It has led to inequality
of fiscal burdens^ to the destruction of customary and immemorial
rights^ and as the Hon'ble Pandit Bishambar Nath has stated, to the
alienation of many properties and the ruin of many old families.
