Page:Twelve men of Bengal in the nineteenth century (1910).djvu/143

of the Board of Examination for the civil and military services, an office he retained until his retirement. In the following year, although he had not yet completed twelve years service, Sir John Peter Grant on the creation of the Bengal Legislative Council selected him as one of its original members and as the first Muhammadan to be appointed. This was a great honour for a man so young in the service and one holding an official position of no special distinction. About the same time also he was appointed to the Board of Commissioners created to deal with the difficulties experienced over the introduction of the income tax, which had aroused such unexpected opposition. Retiring in due course from his office as member of the Bengal Legislative Council on the expiry of his two year's term, he was especially thanked for his services by Sir Cecil Beadon, then Lieutenant-Governor. For four years more he continued to work as a Deputy Magistrate at Alipore, being chosen in 1867 as the first Magistrate to preside over the new Suburban Police Court, a new court created to meet the needs of the growing city and the increasing importance of its southern suburbs. For ten years he performed the duties of this office, which entailed heavy work, and it says much for his energy and enthusiasm that after a hard day's work in the close, atmosphere of a police court he was ready and willing to throw himself heart and soul into other duties, scarcely less onerous, on behalf of