A Revised and Enlarged Account of the Bobbili Zemindari/Chapter 11/1904
1904.
The Madras Impartible Estates Bill passed into law on the 19th January. The Madras Land-holders' Association several times petitioned the Government for such an enactment. The gratitude of the owners of the one hundred and twenty Zemindaries is certainly due to Lord Ampthill who took so much interest in protecting these estates from partition.
His Excellency the President in his concluding debate said:—
"It may be said that the present legislation only affects a small fractional number of the Zemindari Estates in the Presidency. That is
quite true, but it affects the Estates which are most important and the families which are most ancient and respected, the estates and families which ought to be an example to the rest. We look to those land-holders who will be secured in their rights and freed from the anxieties and disadvantages of which they have complained, to set an example to the rest of their class and lead the way along the path of progress and reform.
"The enlightened noblemen who form the Land-holders' Association are, I know, deeply interested in the question of the education of young Zemindars, and there is none among them who has given more thought to the matter than the Hon'ble the Maharajah who sits in the Council. Some little time ago the Maharajah of Bobbili urged the Government to appoint an Advisory Council to the Newington School of the Court of Wards, and he was supported by other Non-Official Members of this Council as well as by the Press. We have accepted his advice and appointed an Advisory Council, from which we hope that many valuable suggestions will emanate, not only with respect to Newington, but also with respect to general education of young Zemindars, a question which is fraught with many and peculiar difficulties."
The Hon. Mr. G. S. Forbes in presenting the report of the Select Committee on the above Bill and in moving the Bill be taken into consideration paid a tribute to the non-official members of the Select Committee in the following manner:— "I cannot pass on to the motion standing in my name without acknowledging the great assistance which the Select Committee received from the Hon'ble Mr. Sankaran Nayar, and the Hon'ble Mr. Govinda Raghava Aiyar, while the experience of the Hon'ble the Maharajah of Bobbili in the Administration of his Great Estates was of much value on several points which came under discussion."
In this year the Maharajah resigned his seat on the Legislative Council.
In connection with the Madras Impartible Estates Act the Maharajah contributed Rs.5,000 to the Zemindars' Lord Ampthill Memorial Fund.
The Maharanee contributed Rs. 1,000 to Lady Ampthill's Nursing Institute.
The Victoria Diamond Jubilee Town Hall at Vizagapatam which was erected by the Maharajah in memory of that auspicious occasion, was opened on the 8th March by R. H. Campbell, Esq., Collector and Agent, Vizagapatam, On behalf of His Excellency Lord Ampthill.
Mr. Campbell read a telegram from the Governor before formally opening the Hall. Afterwards the people of Vizagapatam presented an address of thanks to the Maharajah.
The Maharajah went to Madras in April and August in connection with the Venkatagiri partition suit. In spite of the family settlement in April 1889 and of several compromises that followed, Raja Muddu Krishna filed a suit in the District Court, Nellore, for partition of the Venkatagiri Zemindari. Before it came up for the first hearing, the Maharajah and Rajah Venugopal Bahadur tried their best twice, in April and August, to effect a compromise between the two brothers, Plaintiff and Defendant, but without success. On the 9th of August the suit was dismissed ex parte with costs. However, the eldest brother, the Rajah of Venkatagiri, moved by pure brotherly feeling, acted up to his words of compromise, even though the suit was dismissed.
At the express desire of Maharajah-Kumarika of Vizianagaram the Maharajah went to Vizianagaram as her guest, exchanged visits with the Rajah of Vizianagaram and attended the Installation Durbar. Though the heads of the two Houses were in the habit of visiting one another in Madras during the time of the late Maharajah of Vizianagaram, yet this was the first occasion on which the heads of the two Houses had exchanged visits at Vizianagaram.
The Maharajah became a patron of the newly-organised Vizagapatam District Agricultural Society and contributed Rs. 1,000 thereto.
The Maharajah went to Calcutta and was present at Government House on the arrival of the Viceroys, Lords Ampthill and Curzon. He was accorded a private Entree during his stay there; was present at the assumption of Viceroyalty by Lord Curzon in Council Chamber and attended H. E.'s first Levee. He also visited Sir Andrew Fraser, the Lieut.-Governor of Bengal, the Members of the Supreme Council, and the Secretaries of the various departments; and returned to Bobbili on the 21st December.