Curgenven, J - (1.)This appeal arises out of a suit for maintenance. Plaintiff is the widow of one Ramamohana Rao, who died in December 1923 aged about 15. His father was one Gantayya, now also deceased, and the defendant is the widow of Gantayya. The points taken in appeal are that the award of Rs. 60 per mensem for current maintenance, of arrears at the same rate and of costs upon the whole amount claimed by the plaintiff are excessive.
(2.)As regards the first point we find some slight difference between the estimated income which the lower Court has arrived at and the conclusion we would draw from the facts. (Here his Lordship discussed the evidence and proceeded.) We think, that irrespective of the proceeds of the promissory note for Rs. 10,000 which the plaintiff received in respect of the katnam the figure awarded by the lower Court is reasonable and need not be modified.
(3.)The second point has reference to the rate of arrears. The award has been made at the same rate as for the current maintenance for a period of about five years and amounts to a lump sum of Rs. 4,500. This obviously will impose a very heavy strain upon the estate and it can hardly be expected that the defendant will be able to meet it without realizing some of the capital assets. That however is not necessarily a consideration which should detain us but it has been pressed upon us that during the period for which the plaintiff claims this amount she was a child of from 12 to 17 years of age and it is obvious that her needs must have been extremely moderate and that occasion for a good many of the expenses which she may now have to incur would not then ave arisen.