» 
544 worked in mills with 27 working days in two haptas, 85 with 26, and 
57 with 25. The maximum number of working days in the two selected 
haptas in respect of the 4,582 weavers returned amounted to 24 in all 
she mills covered by the Census. 
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27. In the case of the Sholapur mills, the term “ basic” applies 
generally to January 1920 because the increases granted in cash wages 
between 1918 and 1920 were consolidated with the rates prevailing in 
1914 aud the first increases given as dearness allowances were paid in kind. 
28. The details in connexion with the movements of wages in recent 
years in the Bombay, Ahmedabad and Sholapur mills and the attempts 
made by the Bombay Millowners’ Association to standardize wages in 
the Bombay Mills are given in Appendix B. 
29. In addition to the grain concession and the high prices 
allowance, the mills in Sholapur also give a good attendance bonus in 
several departments for workers on time scales of pay. There also 
exists a method whereby time workers are © granted ”” days for holidays 
in addition to those actually worked. Wages are calculated for calendar 
months and are paid about fifteen days after they become due. The 
basic rates are variously computed at so much per day or at so much 
per month or at so much for 26, 27 or 30 days. An operative who works 
for all the working days in a full working week is granted one day in 
addition to those he puts in. If he is absent on a day which precedes or 
follows a holiday, the “grace” day is not granted to him. In the 
engine department some workers receive more “grace ”’ days, and the 
returns contained cases where the number of days for which wages were 
calculated were greater than the number of days in the month. There 
are, therefore, five separate and distinct items that go to make up a 
fixed-wage-operative’s aggregate earnings during the wage period : 
(1) the basic rate ; (2) the dearness allowance of 30 per cent. granted in 
cash on the basic rate; (3) the good attendance bonus; (4) wages for 
“grace” days; and (5) the benefit that may be gained as a result of 
being allowed to buy a quantity of grain at a price which gives a cash 
saving of about 30 to 40 per cent. on the purchase. It is evident that 
those operatives who put in work for all the working days during the 
wage period may secure the full advantage that could be earned from 
shese different concessions. But, in practice, comparatively few workers 
zet the total financial benefit that may be gained The operation of the 
*“ double khada * rule in the Sholapur mills whereby a worker is cut two 
Jays’ wages for one day’s aBsence without leave may deprive the worker 
who remains absent with * French Leave ” not only of his good attend- 
ance bonus and the “ grace ” days but he is also liable to be cut two days’ 
wages for each day’s absence. * In practice, however, the double khada ”’ 
rule is only brought into effect as a disciplinary measuré in the case of 
hose operatives who persistently remain absent without permission or 
bona fide reasons. If a worker remains absent for more than four days in 
2 month he loses the grain concession in addition.