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Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 10, p. 145.

ADMINISTRATION 145 is assisted in the disposal of civil work by two Munsifs stationed at Motihari. The criminal courts include those of the Sessions Judge, the District Magistrate, and the Deputy and Assistant Magistrates at Motihari and Bettiah. Burglary and cattle-thefts are common; dacoits from Nepal occasionally make raids into the District. The earliest settlement was made in 1582 by Todar Mal, Akbar's finance minister ; but the area measured was only 148 square miles, as compared with 3,200 square miles now assessed, and the revenue fixed was 1-38 lakhs. It is noteworthy, however, that Todar Mal's revenue rate was as high as Rs. r-6-o per acre, or four times what it is now. The revenue was altered in 1685, and again in 1750, with the result that, when the East India Company obtained possession of the District in 1765, it slightly exceeded 2 lakhs. The revenue dwindled year by year until 1773, when it was only 1-39 lakhs ; but in 1791 the Decennial Settlement raised it to 3•51 lakhs, and two years later the District was permanently settled for 3.86 lakhs. The sub- sequent increase to 5•15 lakhs was due to the resumption, between 1834 and 1841, of lands held without payment of revenue under invalid titles. The current demand in 1903-4 was 5-15 lakhs, payable by 1,247 estates. This gives an incidence of only R. 0-5-6 per cultivated acre, and represents 17 per cent. of the rental of the Dis- trict, and only 1-4 per cent. of the estimated value of the gross agricultural produce. The BETTIAH Rnj, the Ramnagar Raj, and the Madhuban Babu own between them nearly the entire District. With the exception of seven estates paying Rs. 840, the District is permanently settled. Between 1892 and 1899 the whole District, with the exception of a hilly tract to the north, was cadastrally surveyed on the scale of 16 inches to the mile, and a complete record-of-rights was framed. This has enormously strengthened the position of the cultivator, and has done much to protect him in the peaceful occupation of his hold- ing, and from oppressive enhancement of his rent. The average size of a ryot's holding is 5-19 acres, the largest holdings being found in the sparsely populated tracts in the north-west. Owing to the abun- dance of waste land, rents are low, the average rate per acre being only Rs. 1-13-9. Ryots at fixed rates pay on the average Rs. 1-2-3, settled and occupancy ryots Rs. 1-14-1, and non-occupancy ryots Rs. I-12-10. Produce rents are paid for only 4' per cent. of the area held by occupancy ryots, but of the area leased to non-occupancy and under-ryots 22 and 65 per cent. respectively are so held. No fewer than 86 per cent. of the ryots have a right of occupancy in their lands, and they hold 83 per cent. of the cultivated area. It has been decided by the civil courts that a ryot in Champaran cannot transfer his occupancy right in a holding without the consent of the landlord; but in point of VOL. X. L