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HIS COURT
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exceedingly high, but the Mahárájá had for many years reposed great confidence in him, and he was on all occasions of importance one of his most trusted advisers. After the death of his master he retained great influence with the chiefs and the army, and on the British occupation of Lahore was appointed to the Council of Regency, of which he was a most able and useful member. Although his position at the head of the Financial Department gave him many opportunities of enriching himself at the public expense, of which there is every reason to believe he availed himself, he still worked more disinterestedly than others, and was of great service to the Resident at Lahore. Without his clear head and business-like habits it would have been almost impossible to disentangle the Darbár accounts, and after the annexation of the Punjab Dina Náth's aid in revenue and jagír matters was almost as valuable as before. At the time of the revolt of the Sikh army in 1848, it was asserted by some that Rájá Dina Náth was a traitor at heart; that he had himself encouraged the rising; and that had he not been a wealthy man, with houses and gardens and many lakhs of rupees in Lahore, convenient for confiscation, he would have joined the rebels without hesitation; but these stories were perhaps invented by his enemies. Certain it is that on his being recalled to Lahore he zealously carried out the wishes of the British authorities in confiscating the property of the rebels and in counteracting their schemes.

Among the constant, though generally silent atten-