CO129-289 - Individuals - 1898 — Page 186

government,

183 7.

in local.

We recommend that in civil cases the village tribunals be given authority to hear

cases

in which the debtor cloes not exceed which the

100 dollars and also all actions in title to land ve which is in choprite does not exceed 200 to 300 dollars. Where the cen sent of both parties is obtained, the limit might be rawedl to 500 on 1000 dollars. These

bribunals in

may

powers, large compared with those of the village

in Ceylon

still be safely granted, There is ample provision for a desrates fred party to obtain redress in the leave granted to appeal to the Government Agent in the first instance, and ultionately to the Governor

in Council.

Elders

at

of

& present the shan=83 (gentry) and

a Chinese village

are in the habit.

settling disputes about property for the value of which is much in excess

excess of 300 collars, and we believe that the village bribienals will. be able to deal with such questions

at

to the

tisfaction of all parties and far better and

very

much less

expense

were heard in the

laur.

than

if the

of the ordinary counts of

As regards debtore, Chinese are in the habit of borrowing what ar

rate of wages

Jump

what are considering

in China,

the

very large

the

In the burial of their dead and,

marriage of their children, and there debts,

mostly contracted in a

peculiar

way riz:by

be better proved.

money loan associations, can

win a

village

tribunal than elsewhere.

!