Report of the Royal Commission on Labour in India

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Monograph

Identifikator:: 1850495947

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-233603

Document type:: Monograph

Title:: Report of the Royal Commission on Labour in India

Place of publication:: London

Publisher:: His Majesty's Stationery Off.

Year of publication:: 1931

Scope:: xviii, 580 S.; graph. Darst., Kt.

Digitisation:: 2022

Collection:: Economics Books

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Chapter

Document type:: Monograph

Structure type:: Chapter

Title:: Chapter XXV. - Labour and the constitution

Collection:: Economics Books

4174 CHAPTER XXV. Need for Co-operation. So far as cases of this kind are concerned, we would observe that the need of regulation appears to us to be so imperative as to justify the risk involved. Looking at the matter from the wider point of view, we do not believe that it is to the ultimate advantage of any part of India to permit the working of young children, or any inhumane conditions, and we suggest that, where danger of the kind we have mentioned appears to be real, an effort should be made to obtain the active co-operation of adjoining States. "If the considerations which we have endeavoured to set out commend themselves to the people of British India, they should not fail bo evoke a response from the Rulers of the States. At the same time efforts at local co-operation will not secure any lasting solution of the difficulty. In discussing the merits of central and provincial legislation, we limited our view to the provinces. But we must point out that even the closest co-operation between provinces is insufficient. So long as there exist side by side areas in which legislation is comparatively backward, there will be a handicap to progress in the rest of India. There are, therefore, good grounds for making labour legislation both a federal and a provincial subject. If this were done, it would be essential in the application of legislation in the States to secure the observ- ance of the principle of gradualness, to which we have referred else- where. Any attempt to secure uniformity by a rapid process of levelling up might prove a serious bar to lasting progress. But if there is reasonable security against such a danger, federal legislation offers a more complete solution of the problem than can be obtained otherwise ; and we urge that this possibility should be carefully considered. If it does not prove practicable at present, efforts should be directed towards securing that, as early as possible, the whole of India participates in making progress in labour matters. The end should be to reach a stage when, in respect of the leading labour laws, recognised minimum standards are applicable throughout the whole of India. The States and the Industrial Council. In our discussion of the Industrial Council, whose establishment we recommend, we limited our view to British India. But we believe that, for those States in which there is appreciable industrial development and which desire to co-operate, the Council would offer a suitable channel for co-operation. It could be enlarged and adjusted to admit of their representatives. It will be necessary to recognise that the difference of standards between British India and Indian States will for some time pre- clude uniformity in new laws, and it might be necessary for the Council bo consider separately proposals for British India and for Indian States and bo leave the final voting on such proposals only to representatives of that division to which the proposals are intended to apply. We feel sure that any States which are willing to co-operate will be equally ready to agree that the conclusions of the Council on legislation should automatically receive early consideration at the hands of the competent authority within the State. A fi aed (fry

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