HEALTH AND WELFARE IN PLANTATIONS, 491 
of close on 4 lakhs of rupees at the credit of the Assam Labour Board, 
whose abolition we have recommended. If our recommendations: are 
accepted, we consider that the residue, after meeting all proper expenses 
volved in winding up the affairs of the Board, could equitably be trans- 
ferred to the Boards of Health and Welfare in Assam. The money 
:n question has been collected by statute from the industry and it would 
thus go to diminish charges which the industry would be called upon 
bo meet under another statute. We recommend the examination of this 
possibility by Government in consultation with the industry, © 
Staff and Procedure. 
The chief executive officer of the Board should be a whole-time 
experienced medical officer with public health qualifications. He would 
have under his direct control the necessary staff of sanitary inspectors, 
vaccinators, etc., and would be generally responsible to the Board for 
the smooth running of all its activities. In addition he would be res- 
ponsible for the administration of any central hospitals maintained 
by the Board. The question of malaria control is so closely connected 
with health on the plantations that we consider each Board should alse 
amploy at least ome malariologist who would work under the chief 
medical officer’s supervision. The Boards should meet at regular intervals 
and, in some cases, it might be advantageous for these meetings to take 
place at different places chosen to enable the members to see what is 
being done in various plantations and to judge of the progress of their 
own schemes. The Board should receive full accounts of the work done 
since its last meeting and consider proposals for future werk. On these 
it would give decisions and sanction expenditure. It would consider 
sases of default against its rules and orders and sanction proseentions 
where necessary. 
Administration of Maternity Benefit Schemes. 
In respect of maternity benefit legislation, each Board should 
be the administrative authority for the.area under its control. - It should 
also be given power to approve existing schemes which, while not in strict 
conformity with the law in respect of cash benefits, nevertheless in both 
cash and kind gave benefits on a scale on the average not less advantage- 
ous to the women concerned. The Board could also prescribe the number 
of trained midwives required in proportion to the numbers of women 
smploved and assist with the training of dais and midwives. : 
Government Control over Regulations. 
We now come to the relations of the Boards with Government 
and the control which the latter should exercise over them. It will be 
recognised that the prescription by the State of a minimum rate of cess 
and the presence of officers responsible to the Minister of Health on the 
Boards provide in themselves a measure of security against any failure 
on the part of the Boards to fulfil their duties. But we propose 
further safeguards. The Act constituting the Boards and prescrib- 
ing their procedure should detail. as far as possible. their duties and