CO129-331 - Public Offices - 1905 — Page 395

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2. It will be observed that, in addition to increasing the number of fighting levics in each State to 250 men, I recommend the establishment of a post of teu men at Murkushi, which is situated at the junction of the tracks leading from the Killik and Mintaka Passes, and an increase to the bodyguards of both Chiefs, and a discontinuance of the term "civil levies," except in Gujbal, the upper district of Hunza, where the people, owing to intermarriage with Wakhis, are thought to be inferior as fighting men to the men of Lower Hunza.

3. The number of Jamadars and Section Commanders now proposed by me may appear excessive, but I consider that they are required in order to provide for men of good family, some of whom are already in receipt of allowances under the old scheme. I would also explain that if this portion of the new scheme is approved it will insure small increases to the allowances hitherto drawn by men who served as Section Com- manders in the Chitral campaign, in which they rendered valuable services.

4. Both the Mir and the Wazir of Hunza strongly advocated the establishment of a permanent levy post at Murkushi, and I agree with them in thinking that an outpost. at this place is really required.

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tlers. The Wazir does not propose to go to Matamdas himself, but will send one of his numerous sons.

6. In conclusion, I would urge that the State Council be moved to pass a resolution allotting the Matamdas lands to the Hunza people with as little delay as possible.

Inclosure 21 in No. 1.

Captain Gurdon to Mr. Colvin.

Gilgit, May 31, 1904. WITH reference to your Office indorsement dated the 1st November, 1904, regarding the proposal to settle some of the people of Hunza at Matamdas in the Gilgit Wazarat, I have the honour to inform you that the Mir has now written to me saying he gratefully accepts the conditions set forth in the letter dated the 28th October, 1901, from the Vice-President of the State Council to the address of the Assistant Resident.

2. With his letter the Mir incloses a list of 180 names of men who are desirous of taking up land at Matamdas, among them being his son Shah Baz Ali Khan and Wazir Humayun Beg and other influential men.

3. The Wazir Wazarat informs me that some families from the village of Nomal and other hamlets in the vicinity are also desirous of acquiring land at Matamdas.* In view, however, of the fact that there is only room at Matamdas for about thirty holdings, I would suggest that this land be set aside for the Hunza people; and that the Nomal people be given land near the mouth of the Bagrot Valley or at some other place (in this connection see paragraphs 6 and 7 of Major Manners-Smith's letter dated the Sth November, 1900) further down the valley. I understand that the Nomal people are not really urgently in need of land at present, whereas the Hunza people are. It is most important to encourage emigration from Hunza, and in order to accustom the people gradually to the idea of leaving their country, it is desirable that the first colony should be established at a place within easy reach of their old home. Later on when emigration becomes more popular land might be found for the Hunza people in the Yasin Valley.

4. I inclose a note, dated the 26th May, 1904, submitted to me by Mr. Stainton, from which it will be seen that that officer recommends that, in order to insure the construction of a satisfactory irrigation channel at Matamdas, a certain amount of blasting, the cost of which he estimates will amount to 800 rupees, should be done under his supervision. Mr. Stainton suggests that this expenditure be met from the annnal grant given by the State for the maintenance of irrigation channels in the Wazarat. I have assented to this suggestion in anticipation of the sanction of the State, as it is most desirable that the work should be started as soon as possible. I am consulting the Wazir Wazarat as to whether he can conveniently spare such a large proportion of his annual grant for Matamdas; and if he cannot do so I propose to ask for a special grant which might be provided by reappropriation from other allotments in the Budget.

5. As regards the Mir's request for a grant of land to his son, I would explain that he understands that his son will be treated exactly in the same manner as other

* Matamdas is on the left bank of the Hunza River, and nearly opposite Nomal, which is on the right bauk of the river,

Inclosure 22 in No. 1.

Mr. Stainton to Captain Gurdon.

Gilgit, May 26, 1904. YOUR demi-official of the 7th May from Camp Minappin. 1. I inspected and made a survey of the Matamdas nullah on the 24th and 25th instant with a view to seeing if the kul can be restored by blasting the rocky parri in the nullab.

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2. The kul can be restored for a cost of 800 rupees on the following assumption, ie, that all blasting work with pacca walling and revetments in the rocky parri are executed by Public Works Department so that the full amount of water flows into the existing main kul on the down-stream side of the parri, while the leading of the water into the rocky parri channel from the nullah bed (or, as we would technically call it, "the head works") would be executed by the zamindars.

3. The kul has been twice constructed in this rocky parri on economical but unsound principles, first by Wazir Ghulam Haidar, by heavy walling in the nullah bed, which was continually washed away by flood and deep scour, and, secondly, by Captain Lothbinière by a wooden trough line suspended from jumpers fixed in the rocky cliff. The latter was entirely washed away by a mud food some nine years ago, since which the Kul has not been used.

4. The only permanent way of overcoming this is by blasting the kul in the vertical cliff and constructing a 2 ft. 6 in. kul with pacca wall to prevent leakage. Water can always be easily led into this kul from the nullah bed by zamindars.

5. The actual face of rocky vertical parti to be blasted is 250 feet long, with some pacca revetment walling.

6. The zamindars need only go 198 feet beyond the rocky parri inside the nullah bed for a water channel to get sufficient "head" for water to flow easily into the kul, I have taken the levels myself and marked with red paint the exact positions on large boulders in the nullah bed.

7. The construction of pacca "head works" would be prohibitive and unnecessary, owing to the very heavy annual mud floods in this nullah, and moreover the zamindars can very easily lead the water into the channel and if necessary rebuild this channel in the nullah bed each year according to the action of the floods.

8. There is a State annual repair grant of 1,000 rupees for maintenance of kuls in the Gilgit Agency which I hand over each year to the Wazir Wazarat, Gilgit, for executing the work under district works rules, but if you wish this kul to have priority of all other kuls, which I would strongly recommend, I will get the work done by Public Works Department before the end of the coming autumn, and hand over 200 rupees to the Wazir Wazarat for other kuls' repairs.

9. This kul will irrigate all the cultivable land at Matamdas, which is not less than 80 acres, after deducting stone walls and débris.

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