SOME VERY CURIOUS OCCUPATIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1851, 12 October 1893, Page 42

SOME VERY CURIOUS OCCUPATIONS.

A Chance for Our " Out -of - works."

At a recent meeting of the Society of Arts, Mr J. A. Baine3, of the Indian Civil Service, Bombay, read a paper on the last census in India, in which he gave the following lists of occupations actually returned, and mo3t of which are very curious and unfamiliar to English ears. The first list is as follows : — Leaf-plate maker Player on four-wired Medicine on the Greek instruments system Oil rubber Marriage-arranger Guest inviter Women's barber Umbrella-carrier Sorcerer Buffalo barber Planet worshipper Storm and hail averter Living upon hidden Giving oracles wealth Player on European Player on the tom-tom musical instruments Player on the round Player on two - wired drum musical instruments.

How a " planet-worshipper " makes bis living out of it seems doubtful, but the profession of " marriage-arranger " and " guestinviter" are, perhaps, not unknown here, although the titles would scarcely be claimed publicly. The " buffalo barber " must be a kind of veterinary surgeon, or he may be attached to the Ancient Order of Buffaloes professionally. The " storm and hail avorter " finds his counterpart in the " rainmakers " of old, or the people who now claim to produce rain ty dynamite.

The second list is ciriou3 for the conscientious minuteness with which the various occupations are described :—: — Helping people to put Taking offerings on the on their clothes birth of a son Making bedstead legs Taking offerings as a Servant for life Saunsi Beggar giving his bless- Servant to a candidate ing Buying and eating Taking fees for preach- bread. ing and reciting

The first must be a sort of general valet, and the "beggar giving his blessings" is not unknown in our streets ; " taking fees for preaching and recititg " not inaptly describes the clerical pjofession; the " servant to a candidate " must be an election agent. " Taking offerings " is an easy way of making a livelihood, but " buying and eating bread" is a profession we must all belong to. The following are described by the water of the paper as seeming to be rather doubtful in their efficacy as means of subsistence :—: — Guardian of minor Trashseller Well - wisher of the Honorary magistrate public Orphan Going to Hindustan Traveller Visitor Guest Infant on milk Making presents. Living happily

The professional visitor, orphan, traveller, or guest may be hone&t or dishonest ways of making a living ; the " infant on milk "is certainly a sure way of earning a living, for a few years at least; the profession of " honorary magistrate " may be a lucrative one, if the worthy is not above a bribe ; and a " guardian of minor " often does very well out of the pickings of the estate ; but how one can make a living by " making presents " is a puzzle.

The last list has, at any rate, the merit of candour, so much so that we must conclude that the lists were filled up by candid friends : — Idler Witness in court for Gambler wages Thief Hanger-on Dacoit Talebearer from house Living oa loans to house Living on son-in-law Village thief Giving daughters iv Debtor marriage for money Begging from relations Rupees 5 a month from Inheritance from sonstepson in -law Marrier of female ser- Earnings of daughters vants Unemployed because mad. One is struck by the goodness of the sons-in-law to their mothers-in-law (presumably). The " marrier of female servants " must be a polygamist, or a priest who makes a specialty of performing the ceremony. The " witness in court for wages "must be a very shady individual, but if the " honorary magistrate " above referred to is open to bribery, the existence of the perjurer is not to be wondered aX

Another curiosity of this census was the difficulty of making the people distinguish between the man who worked at a trade and those wbo were dependent upon him. Thus, a whole family would be returned as labourers, sorcerers, and what not. This led to the return of a large number of female priests, and so large a contingent of female soldiers, that one was inclined to think that Lord Roberts had been recruiting hi 1 ? army on the principle of the KiDg of Dahomey.

Further corn plications arose fiomthe combination of the names of trades. Than tho same term might denote, in the same village, either a tanner or a shoemaker, or a watchman, or a bornblower, and it is uncertain from another whether the person is a fisherman, a water-carrier, a palki-bearer, or a cook ; from a third, whether he is a grocer, draper, or money-lender ; and from a fourth whether he ministers to the object of worship inside a tcinple, or makes leaf-platters outside. In such circumstances classification was much a matter of chance.

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