Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1910-11-24
RED TAPE EXPERT,
An East indian Clerk WI
Stur,ped an English Official
BEAT HIM AT HIS OWN GAM,
In the Fine Art o. Disqualification eabu 1
Tara chand Made His Prstsntiousy
Auditor General Appear Like Rank
Amatsur-A True Story,


are supposed to use red tape pretl
freely. but the supply in London
nothing to what 1t Is III India. II
us outline briefly the true history Ut
Babu Tara Chand. late Of the subordi- |
nate branch of the Indian civil serv.
ice. The story is true.
Babu Tara Chand was IL deputy. sub
assistant clerk in the cutcherry of IL
deputy collector in the Swankibagh
district of southern Bengal. The In
land postage rate in India at that
period was three pies. or about
farthing. for letters weighing Que ,oll.
One fine day when the officials had
concluded the annual or biennial over
haul of the books Of the c:ltcherry 1t
was discovered that by some un-
heard Of turpitude one stamp Of the
value of three pies u farthingl had
been unaccounted for. The stamp
could be clearly traced to the desk
and control Of Babu Tara Chund.
Thence 1t had disappeared.
Babu Tara Chand was not summu-
rily dismissed; neither was he made
the target of criminal prosecution. In.
stead lie received lengthy letter on
blue foolscap paper. pointing out in
detail how certain property of her
most gracious majesty the queen en-
presto wit. one Indian postage stamp
of the value Of three pies-had been
committed to his care on certain
date and that up to the date of writ
ing no adequate explanation had been
forthcoming of said postage stamp.
The communication fell upon the
luckless Tara Chand like bolt from
the blue. 1t left but three courses
open to him-viz:
(aD Resign from the service.
%, Explain the disappearance of the
farthing postage stamp in manner
deemed satisfactory by the auditor.
(cD Isecoup the farthing.
OF these three courses It will be
obvious to any person with the shall
lowest knowledge of the Bengali char
acter that the third one (c) was from
the outset beyond the pale of con-
sideration. The first (a) was also too
terrible to contemplate. Therefore
Babu Tara Chand sat down and COM
posed letter which was Il masterpiece
in its way and in which he requested
to be relieved from routine service for
Il period Of four weeks to enable him
to make such IL search among the rec
ords of the department. etc. as might
enable him to trace the missing stamp.
This reasonable request was readily
granted
Four weeks later Babu Tara Chand
applied for Il further term of two
weeks wherein to draw up report
upon the results of his Investigations
in pursuit of the Grant postage stanip.
This. having passed through the eight
cen or nineteen different hands neces-
sary for such an application. was in
turn duly granted. and Mt the end of
the fortnight Tara Chand submitted u
report of PIG foolscap pages. explain
ing that. despite the most diligent eff
forts and inquiries Oh his part. he had
been unable to secure the slightest
cew to the cause of the deficiency.
When the department of ADULTS and
accounts had fully digested this dOcu-
ment and presented 81 report Of the
same in official precis to the auditor
general the auditor general through
the secretary of the assistant auditor
general Of the presidency Of Bengal
notified Rabu Tara Chand that II was
not wholly satisfactory and that the
circumstances bearing upon the loss Of
the stamp would have to he definitely
explained and proved or the deficit Of
three pies would have to he made good.
Babu Tara Chand stuck to his guns
and wrote again. He wrote many
times. AS often as he wrote his eX
plantations the auditor general wrote
signifying his official dissatisfaction
with the same.
Eventually. one fine day about nine
months subsequent to the discovery OF
the loss and some two years subse-
quent to its alleged preparation. the
auditor general-his interest in the
matter of Il farthing postage stamp be-
Ing overwhelmed IN frontier war
budget-sent I'M ultimatum to Tara
Chand. The loss of the postage stamp
would have to he definitely explained
or its value. the sum of three pies. be
duly refunded TO the treasurer Of the
Swankigabh district.
Then Rabu Tara Chand became pos,
sessed Of an inspiration which even
to this day is pointed to with pride
and complacency by even the most cir
cumlocutory Of the red tape depart
ments within the purview Of the gov
eminent of India.
Babu Tara Chand wrote to the audi.
tor general as follows:
Sir-In reply to your memo of eth inst
have the honor to state terrible contia.
grafton OF my cook house on 5th inst.
hopelessly annihilating all documents IL
the case of lost postage stamp of three
pies. property OF her most gracious maj>
esty the queen empress Therefore by
grace of God and under regulation para.
1859. section cxxxi Of departmental req.
uiations. volume 81 (BengaD. request you
forward for my information complete
copies Of entire file of correspondence "
this case. SO that can report again upon
same to your satisfaction. have the
honor to be. sir. your most obedient. hum
BILE servant. TARA CHAND.
Deputy Subassistant Clerk to the DEPUTY
Collector. Swankibagh.
The auditor general never replied
Tara Chand had Won his case.-Lov
don Tit. Bits.