Page:The Modern Review (July-December 1925).pdf/488

463 If the classes from which the sepoys and the policemen are drawn ever grew as patriotic and nationalistic as the majority of the members of the Assembly, it would be another matter. But the bureaucracy have in their hands the potent preventive medicine for that malady of not introducing universal education. The representatives of Anglo-India and Britain posed, as usual, as the only friends of the voiceless, dumb millions. But who, pray, has kept them voiceless by not giving them education ? Who wanted to give them a voice by trying to get free compulsory education bills passed but the maligned educated middle class? Why is it that it is only after more than a century and a half of British rule that the State Secretary wakes up to the importance of agriculture, the mainstay of 90 per cent of the people? Why is it that sanitation has been neglected so that plague has made a permanent home here for more than 30 years ? Well might the dumb millions cry, “save us from our friends !”

The Bengalee of the 11th September last mentioned some items of business to be transacted at the next day’s meeting of the Senate of the Calcutta University in the following paragraphs:—

The Senate will also be asked to sanction the re-appointment of Rai Bahadur Abinaschandra Bose, as Controller of Examinations for a further term of 5 years with effect from the 22nd November, 1925 on his existing salary of Rs. 1,000 per month.

An important item will be to confirm the recommendation of the Appointments Board to the effect that in view of the fact that it will not be possible to finish preliminaries with regard to the appointments of the University Lecturers in the Post-Graduate Departments before the 30th September next, the existing appointments be extended to the 31st December, 1925.

There were 32 members of the Board present at the meeting at which this resolution was passed and which was held on Monday last. Barring the Vice-Chancellor, Sir Nilratan Sircar, Dr. Bidhan Chandra Ray and Rai Abinash Chandra Bose Bahadur, all the members are University Lecturers in the Post-Graduate Department whose extension of office was recommended at the meeting.

How old is the present Controller of Examinations?

If The Bengalee’s information be correct, the Appointments Board is a jolly good board.

Age of Consent Bill The Legislative Assembly had made 13 the age of consent in oi-ital and 14 in nonmarital relations. The Bill as passed by the Assembly was also passed by the Council of State with the addition of the following new clause Notwithstanding anything contained in section 2. sexual intercourse by a man with his own wife is not rape although the wife has not attained the age of thirteen years if he was married to her before the date on which this Act comes into oper­ ation and she had attained the age of twelve years on that date.

It is to be hoped this clause will be dropped in due course, and the age will be further raised. We do not see any reason why when a girl cannot dispose of her. pro­ perty when below the age of legal majority, she should be thought to possess a sufficient­ ly mature judgment when below the same age to sell herself body and soul. In. noumarital relations, the age of legal majority should be the age of consent.

Allahabad and Lucknow The Pioneer writes The inhabitants of Allahabad, who have 1 een much exercised over the exact status of their City, obtain a clear lead from the reply given by Sir Alexander JLuddiman to a question on the subject in the Legislative Assembly. The United Provinces Government have reported that “there is not and never has been any question of the transfer of the capital to Lucknow.” Allahabad’s position is plain, it would be made much plainer if the United Pro­ vinces Government removed the one or two odd offices, which have, apparently been overlooked in the Secretariat’s exodus to Lucknow, and if the brief annual descent, duly marked by a sudden temporary swelling in the number of Allahabad’s telephone subscribers, were reduced to the dimen­ sions of a week-end visitation. Allahabad would then be able to do puja at the tenantless Govern­ ment House, and, in so dom», to solve the riddle : “When is a capital not a capital?” by the simple answer; “When it is Luckncw.”

Allahabad being Faqirabad, there are not so many and such pleasures of life there as there are in Lucknow. Besides, there are in Allahabad too many pestilential agitators. If some of these transfer their field of action to Lucknow and make it too hot for the lotuseaters there,'Allahabad may again become the capital.