Page:The Imperial Gazetteer of India - Volume 10 (2nd edition).pdf/332



320 NILGIRI HILLS. temporary relaxation of the Waste Land Rules, so far as to allow planters and native cultivators to take up, during the currency of the settlement, waste lands adjoining their holdings, without auction or payment of price, but subject to an annual assessment of 2 rupees (45.) per acre in the case of planters, and 10 ánnás (1s. 3d.) an acre in the case of native tribes. Under this rule, which was liberally interpreted, a considerable area of unappropriated Government waste land has been taken up. The wide and immemorial pasture-grounds of the Toda race-practically the whole unappropriated area of the plateau and the hill slopeshave naturally remained unassessed to any land-tax, although largely occupied by cattle; some 25,000 or 30,000 head being now maintained on them. The natural pasture is exceptionally coarse and innutritious, and the climate of the western and northern tracts of the range, which are especially pastoral, is so ungenial as to close them partially against herds for several months of the year; and further, the area of unappropriated land has become seriously narrowed. Tipu Sultán is believed to have asserted a right to pasture the cattle belonging to the Mysore State on the hills; transit duties were levied on the ghi, in which the Todas traded with the lowlands; and a kind of motarfır tax has at times been levied on the cattle of this tribe, but no settlement or land-tax has been extended to these pastures. Since, however, a demand for land for European occupation has sprung up on the hills, these wide pasture lands have practically been declared Government waste, available for sale and appropriation by Government. However, to each mand or Toda hamlet is reserved a 50-acre block of pasture, with a proportion of forest for shade. On this, a rental of 2 ánnás (3d.) an acre is payable. This represents a reservation in all of some 7000 acres, so that to each adult male Toda there is an allowance of over 30 acres. Practically, the Todas graze their cattle over all waste land, but the reservation has been granted to compensate for the gradual enclosure of private estates. The Toda reserves, however, are intended exclusively for pasture, and all alienations are prohibited. In the European settlements, a few building grants, made before 1863, are held on quit-rents redeemable on twenty years' purchase ; but more recent grants are subject to the general conditions specified above, and are not allowed to exceed 10 acres in extent. Another tenure in the District is that of the iruums or glebes of village officers, the assessment on which used to be paid direct by the occupants to the village officers as their remuneration. These have now been amalgamated with the Government lands; the pattidár paying the revenue to Government direct, and the village officers receiving in lieu a money payment.