given sureties for his action, and the property of the unfortunate surety became liable for the arrears of rent, if no suit were brought. It is remarkable that in this law there is raised for the first time a doubt as to the existence of any regular standard known as the Parganá Rates. Failing such rates, rents were to be assessed and collections made according to the rates payable for lands of a similar description in the neighbourhood. There was another not unimportant section by which an enhanced rate of rent could not be levied or awarded judicially unless the tenant had been served with a formal notice of enhancement during the month of Jeth or Jyeshtha. This date corresponds with the latter half of May and the beginning of June, and is always regarded as the link between one agricultural year and another. Agricultural operations, which are either suspended or languidly pursued in May, recommence after the beginning of the periodical rains; and this event occurs about the second week of June in Bengal, and towards the end of that month or at the beginning of July in Behar.
Of the excellent intentions of the framers of this law there can be no doubt. Remedies were always provided in every Regulation dealing with landlord and tenant, for redress against the injustice of summary decisions by referring discontented parties to the Civil Court. But, as has been already said, procedure in those Courts was then cumbrous and slow. Resort was had to them more by the landlord than by the
