CHIEF OF NAWANAGAR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13836, 25 February 1907, Page 5

CHIEF OF NAWANAGAR.

RAN.IITSINH.iI SELECTED. ' Ptess Associaiiori—lij Telegrapli—Copyriglit, LONDON, February 22. The London Daily Miiil announces that tiic Government of India lias selected I'rilice llafijilsiiihji for the position of chief of Nwamigar.

Prince Kumar Sliri Ranjilsinhji is about 24 years of agp. At Cambridge lie became famous as a cnekeler, ami lias played for England against Anslraliu. lie was tlieflf-st liiaii lo «x>ve over 3000 runs in one season. Some mouths a/jo ho addressed to Mr .joiin Jloi'lCy, Secretary for India, a petition selling forili his claims lo Hie succession lo tlio Oiidi of Nmyunagar, and praying that these claims might be investigated and proceedings taken as ni;iy lx\ jusl. ill all (he circumstances. A genealogical table was given showing Prince Ranjitsiuhji's descent from Kadhubliai. brother of .fain Kannialji, who «a,s adopted b.v Jam Jasaji. ,lam Raunialji's sou. .lim Vibliaji. died in 1895. Hi l was succeeded bv .lasvatilsin(>ji, his son, who died on Antnisl 14, 1900. It is to succeed .lasviinisingji (hat Prillfe Ranjilfinliji claims, on the ground that bis adoption by •fnni Vibliaji in 1678, Ilu l -lain having disinherited bis other eon, Kaliibha, in 1877. Kalublm has ji sou, Lakimbha, who was born in 1873, and is slill living. It is asserted that. Kalublia was not ihe sou of a Hani, but at, Ihe request. Of.,lam Vibliaji the Indian Government consented in 1872 lo recognise Kiliubhn as heir. lit November. 1877, Jam Vibliaji petitioned Ihe Indian Government Hi revoke the recognition of Kalublia lo tlio succession. This was doliCj alnl liolh he uiid his son Lakhuhha Were removed flom the territories of Nawahajmr. After this the .Turn adopted KuvtJr_Sh]'L Umedsiiigji provisionally on no' son being born lo him bv rfnv of tlii; Ranis. Umedsitfgjl died on September 23/ 1878, six months afler adoption. On October 7, 1878; li.injilsiriliji was made "lieir and ownei' of the Cad'." This adoption was approved by tho Government of Bombay in Deeoinliev, 1678. A deed <irna drawn up by Ranjilsinhji's father, formally giving his son as heir to the Jam. Jh this deed appears tho following clause" Should aiiv of yoiir lUnis give birth to a son the State shall g'rant Ranjitsilihji giras yielding an anntial income of 10,000 Uorees. To this 1 assent." In August, 1832; a son was born to .Tarii V'bhaji by Jambaii a miisulmniii woman; not tt Rani. 116-was called Jasvaritsingji, and the .Ttliti succeeded in getting hi in recognised as his licit in 1884. Patrjitsinhji's father protested ngflittst the'' adoption. He eventually succeeded to tlio '•(iadi, and died, rt3 already slatbtl, on August 14, 1906. Raiijilsiiih ji claims that, I tlio line of .Taiti Vibliaji having failed with Ihe exception of Kalublia rtttd his sbii, who were tlifliiihcrilc!l, ho is the rightful heir, his fitloptioh by Jam Vibliaji giving liitn precedence over all other olamants. "If the filling up ol the succession," the rriefiioriiitdtilii afcoOfflpanvifig the petition concludes, "is to bo guiflcd by the .qilestioii of expediency, it is submitted that Ranjlteinhji is irtlineasuriibiy superior to rtiiy olher elMnlilnt iii fevWj- rosnect. He has had a gbo'd aii. edlibtilioll as it is possible for it liiaii to' llaye, aiid lire literary lalehts and spdrtsirianllko dualities arc too well 'known to' feiiiiird .fifty description in this place. .He has tt thorough knowledge of the English and their ways, as well as aii intimate 'khbwiedgtj of Indian. affail's, arid he is a man of tact; go'od aciOress, e'cpiable temper alld kind liivtrt, inatiire age, and sound judgment. He is also, a of the Sal-odor briinbh of the faniilv. to whom the succession of flic Nait-anagir State has always been given."