No. VI.
Opinion given by Late Hem Chandra Barua regarding the admission of native civilians to the benefits of the Bengal Civil Fund—
Dated Gauhati the 14th Nover. 1875.
1. With reference to the question whether an increase of subscription or a reduction of the pension is desired in respect of Native Civilians' widows who, it is said, do not remarry and will therefore continue to enjoy the full amount of pension while the widows of Europeans marry again and forfeit one half of it during the remarriage, I beg leave to say that educated natives, as a rule, are advocates for remarriage of Hindoo widows, and those who enter the Civil Service being, as they are, more liberally educated and free from caste prejudices, which are a great bar to our social improvements, take the greatest interest in promoting the cause of Hindoo widow marriage. Such being the case it cannot be believed for a moment that they will fail to bring their wives over to the same opinion with them in regard to the remarriage of widows and as a matter of cause the widows of native
