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 212 THE KAIBA QUESTION

baa made of prestige a fetish and whiob considers itself fco ba almost infallible, and rarely admits its mistakes.

With reference to bbe investigation by Mr. Devdbar and his co-workers, the press note loaves on the reader tha impression that the Commissioner bad responded to their suggestions, At the interview at which I was pre- sent he challenged the report they had submitted to him and said distinctly that whatever relief he granted would not ba granted because of tha report which he said in substance was nob true ao far as it contained any new things aud was not new in ao far as it contained any true statements.

I cannot weary the public with the tragedy in the> M*tar T'iluka. In certain villages of the Taluka wbiob are atfaoted by the irrigation canals they have a double grie- vance : (1) the ordinary failure of crops by reason of the excessive rainfall, and (2) the total destrutsion of crops by reason of overflooding, la the second case, they are entitled to full remission, So far as I am aware, in many oasoR ib has nob been granted.

Ifc is not correct to say that the Servants of India. Society stopped investigation in the Thasra Taluka be- cause there was no case for inquiry but because they deemed it unnecessary, so their report says, as I had de- cided to inquire into the crops of almost every village,

MR, GANDHI'S CHALLENGE NOT ACCEPTED

Tue press note is less than fair in calling my method of inquiry 'Ucopian,' I do adhere to my contention that if the cultivators' statements may be relied upon, my me- thod oaunot but yield absolutely reliable results. Who should know better than the cultivator himself the yield of is crops* ? I refuse to balieve that lakha of men oould.

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