FROM MADRAS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 103, 3 May 1937, Page 10

FROM MADRAS

INDIAN MAGISTRATE

TO STUDY DEBT ADJUSTMENT

"While in New Zealand for a short holiday, Mr. S. Ranganathan, a member of the Indian Civil Service who arrived by the Awatea today, intends to study the operation of the debt adjustment Courts, as there is a proposal to introduce similar legislation in India. He is accompanied by his wife and two sons and'will tour the North Island before : returning to India, via Australia. ...... '. Mr. Ranganathan said his headquarters were at Madras, but in his work as a District Magistrate he had to cover an area of 6000 square miles with a population of 2,000,000. Generally speaking, the law was well respected in : his district, the worst offences being against property; house breaking and the like. Wherever possible, probation was granted in the Courts, as it. had been.-, found that short terms of imprisonment had a bad influence through bringing the offenders into contact with habitual criminals. The English criminal law prevailed, and the civil law was based on English practices. Mr. Ranganathan was educated at Madras and Oxford. He expressed regret at the distance separating India and New Zealand as he considered the New Zealand climate ideal. He also expressed the hope that New Zealand cricket arid hockey teams would be able to visit India in the near future.