BENGAL.
3i6
who have
entered into a formal covenant with the Secretary of State for
These superior officers were formerly nominated by the Court of Directors, and passed through Haileybury they are now selected by special open competitive examination held yearly in London. The Uncovenanted Civil Service includes all other civilians under Government employ. The unit of the executive administration is the Magistrate and India.
Collector, kno^^l as
Police
The
is
the right
‘
The
District
Officer.’
hand of the Magistrate
The Superintendent
of
in the suppression of crime.
District jails, although placed in the
hands of an officer selected under the general control of the Magistrate. A similar arrangement has been carried into effect in regard to schools and the Department of Education. All District for the duty, usually the Civil Surgeon, are
officers are, tically
ex
officio.
the executive
The
Registrars of deeds.
District Officer
is
prac-
chief and administrator of the tract of country
committed to him. At his disposal are the subordinate magisterial, police, and revenue authorities. The Sub-divisional officers, who are Assistant and Deputy Magistrates in charge of divisions of Districts,
own jurisdiction the delegated authority of the The Sub-deputies and the Sub-divisional establishments of the superior executive officers. Above the District
exercise within their District Officer.
are the agents
Magistrates are the Commissioners of Divisions.
Their duties are to
supervise the District Officers, and to act as channels of communica-
and Government, bringing together in a compact form the information which they receive. The management of the whole is firmly concentrated in a single man, tion between the local officers
the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal,
who
is
answerable to the Govern-
ment of India. His responsibility is divided by no executive council, as in Madras or Bombay. All orders issue through his secretaries in his own name and although his policy is subject to the watchful control of the Government of India, represented by the Viceroy, yet to the Lieutenant-Governor personally belongs the honour or disgrace of a In making laws for his successful or an inglorious administration. people, he is assisted by a Legislative Council, composed partly of his principal officers, and partly of leading members of the non-official In his legislative, as in his European and Native communities. executive functions, a power of control, amounting if needful to veto, rests with the Governor-General a power which, by reason of the
—
English talent for harmonious proconsular
Municipal and local self-government
rule, is is
very seldom exercised.
now beginning
to play
an
(1884) before the Bengal Legislative Council will give a further extension to municipal institutions, and to the powers exercised by non-official delegates of the people in these bodies. Practically a great mechanism of popular
important part in Bengal.
The
Bill at present
