INDIAN FAMINES - Institute for Social and Economic Change

AND PRESS CRITICISM. 175
without the knowledge of Sir G. Campbell? or
of his conviction that both the Viceregal administration
and Sir R Temple had superseded
the local Government in the management of
the famine? And would the correspondent now
be inclined to modify the following opinion
expressed in an early letter? "I can imagine
nothing more humiliating to a Governmeut, that
has known for so long of the impending famine,
than this frank confession that it has been
taken unawares thus late in regard to such
rudimentary preparations as the construction
and improvement of roads. They" (the indigo
planters) "make new roads where needed, repair
the old ones, construct bridges, and maintain a
European establishment." And again, his sarcastic
"wonder why Government did not at
the outset advertise their willingness to accept
tenders for averting the famine," would now no
doubt receive qualification. The poor Public
Works Department was represented to and by
him as having no one to say a word in its
favour j in fact, that it was everything and in
every way bad. But what does he now say to
its having surveyed, constructed, and stocked a