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 BENGAL.

3i6

who have

entered into a formal covenant with the Secretary of State for

These superior officers were formerly nominated by the Court of Directors, and passed through Haileybury they are now selected by special open competitive examination held yearly in London. The Uncovenanted Civil Service includes all other civilians under Government employ. The unit of the executive administration is the Magistrate and India.



Collector, kno^^l as

Police

The

is

the right

‘

The

District

Officer.’

hand of the Magistrate

The Superintendent

of

in the suppression of crime.

District jails, although placed in the

hands of an officer selected under the general control of the Magistrate. A similar arrangement has been carried into effect in regard to schools and the Department of Education. All District for the duty, usually the Civil Surgeon, are

officers are, tically

ex

officio.

the executive

The

Registrars of deeds.

District Officer

is

prac-

chief and administrator of the tract of country

committed to him. At his disposal are the subordinate magisterial, police, and revenue authorities. The Sub-divisional officers, who are Assistant and Deputy Magistrates in charge of divisions of Districts,

own jurisdiction the delegated authority of the The Sub-deputies and the Sub-divisional establishments of the superior executive officers. Above the District

exercise within their District Officer.

are the agents

Magistrates are the Commissioners of Divisions.

Their duties are to

supervise the District Officers, and to act as channels of communica-

and Government, bringing together in a compact form the information which they receive. The management of the whole is firmly concentrated in a single man, tion between the local officers

the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal,

who

is

answerable to the Govern-

ment of India. His responsibility is divided by no executive council, as in Madras or Bombay. All orders issue through his secretaries in his own name and although his policy is subject to the watchful control of the Government of India, represented by the Viceroy, yet to the Lieutenant-Governor personally belongs the honour or disgrace of a In making laws for his successful or an inglorious administration. people, he is assisted by a Legislative Council, composed partly of his principal officers, and partly of leading members of the non-official In his legislative, as in his European and Native communities. executive functions, a power of control, amounting if needful to veto, rests with the Governor-General a power which, by reason of the

—

English talent for harmonious proconsular

Municipal and local self-government

rule, is is

very seldom exercised.

now beginning

to play

an

(1884) before the Bengal Legislative Council will give a further extension to municipal institutions, and to the powers exercised by non-official delegates of the people in these bodies. Practically a great mechanism of popular

important part in Bengal.

The

Bill at present