The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-09-19
RED TAPE EXPERT
An East Indian Clerk VINO
Stumped an English Official.
BEAT HIM AT HIS OWN GAME.

NmatouF--A irue otorls
The government Offices In whitehall
are supposed 10 use red tape" pretty
freely but the supply in London Ii
nothing TO what It is IN India. Let
us outline briefly the true history Of
Babu Tara Chand. late OF the subordi
nate branch o. the Indian civil serv-
ice. The story is true.
Babu Tara Chand was a deputy sub
assistant clerk In the cuteherry OF 1
deputy collector 10 the Swanklhagh
district Of southern Bengal The In
land postage rate In India al that
period was three pies. or about /
farthing, for letters weighing one tola
4 One ine day when the officials had
concluded the annual or biennial over
haul Of the books Of the cutcherry II
was discovered that by some un.
heard OF turpitude one stamp Of the
value Of three pies q farthingl had
been unaccounted for. The stamp
could be clearly traced to the desk
md control OF Babu Tara Chand.
Thence Il had disappeared.
Babu Tara Chand was not summa-
rily dismissed; neither was he made
the target Of a criminal prosecution. In.
stead he received lengthy letter on
blue foolscap paper, pointing out In
detail how certain property OF her
most gracious majesty the queen en-
press-to WIT. one Indian postage stamp
OF the value Of three pies-had been
committed 70 bis care on a certain
date and that up to the date Of writ
ing no adequate explanation had been
forthcoming Of said postage stamp.
The communication fen upon the
luckless Tara Chand like a bolt from
the blue II left but three courses
open to him-vlz.
tal Resign from the service.
CD Explain the disappearance OF the
farthing postage stamp in manner
deemed satisfactory by the auditor.
(c) Recoup the farthing.
OF these three courses It viii be
obvious to any person with the shall
lowest knowledge of the Bengal char
acter that the third one (cl was from
the outset beyond the pale Of con.
slderatlon. The first Cal was also too
terrible to contemplate. Therefore
Babu Tara chand sat down and COM
posed letter which was masterpiece
In its way and In which he requested
70 be relieved from routine service for
a period Of four weeks to enable him
10 make such 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 further term OF two
weeks wherein to draw up a report
upon the results OF his investigations
ia pursuit of the Grant postage stamp
This, having passed through the eight
cen or nineteen different hands neces-
sary for such on application, was in
turn duly granted. and at the end Of
the fortnight Tara chand submitted
report Of 216 fooIscap pages. explain
ing that. despite the most diligent ef-
forts and inquiries on his part, be had
been unable to secure the slightest I
clew to the cause Of the deficiency.
When the department Of audits and /
accounts bad fully digested this doeu-
ment aud presented report Of the /
same In official precis TO the auditor (
general the auditor general through 4
the secretary OF the assistant auditor
general OF the presidency Of Bengal
notified Babu Tara Chand that It Was
not wholly satisfactory and that the
bearing upon the loss of
the stamp would have 10 be definitely
explained and proved or the deficit OF
three pies would have TO be made good
Babu Tara Chand stuck 10 his guns
and wrote again. He wrote many
times AS often as he wrote his ex-
the auditor general wrote
slguifying his official dissatisfaction
with the same.
Eventually, one fne day about nine
months subsequent To the discovery OF
the loss and some Two years subse-
quent to its alleged perpetfation. the
auditor general--his interest In the
matter Of farthing postage stamp be-
ng overwhelmed 10 a frontier war
budget sent an ultimatum to Tara
-hand The loss Of tile postage stamp
would have to be definitely explained
,r its value. the sum Of three pies. be
July refunded to the treasurer Of the
swankigabh district
Then Bahu Tara Chand became pos
sessed Of an inspiration which even
o this day Is pointed to with pride j
md compacency by even the most cir {
Of the red tape depart {
nents within the puyiew Of the gov
rnment of India.
Babu Tara Chand wrote to the audi '
or general as follows:
Sir--In reply to your memo. OF 18th inst !.
have the honor TO state terrible confia-
ration OF my cook house on 5th inst, =
opelessly annihilating all documents in
he case or lost postage stamp OF three
les, property Of her most gracious mai \
sty the queen empress. Therefore by 0
race OF God and under regulation para. 4
3 459. section cxxxi Of departmental reg Z
iations. volume 81 (BengaD. l request you
onward for my information complete
opies OF entire file OF correspondence In
lis case so that can report again upon
anne 10 your satisfaction have the
npofs n ha ali sfoflr t94aSt rhoss{a.t httt..A