MINES. 
183 
improvement of health administration by Governments and local autho- 
rities. It seems appropriate, however, to deal here with another form 
of health administration which is in force in two of the mining areas we 
have visited and which was evolved to meet their special needs. Owing 
to frequent outbreaks of cholera and small-pox among the mining popula- 
tions and with the primary object of preventing these epidemic diseases, 
new sanitary authorities in the form of Boards of Health were consti- 
tuted during 1915 and 1916 by the local Governments for the Asansol 
and Jharia mines areas. The membership of these Boards comprises 
officials, non-officials and representatives of the mineowners and royalty 
receivers. Both Boards have been remarkably successful in their main 
task. Not only have health organisations been built up to deal with the 
prevention of diseases, but medical arrangements have been improved, 
sanitation has been controlled and the question of housing of labour has 
also received considerable attention, The Jharia Mines Board, hav- 
ing more adequate powers, has perhaps made greater progress. In addi- 
tion, the Jharia Water Board, specially constituted for the purpose, has 
been able to provide a large and permanent protected water-supply, 
which is now distributed over more than two-thirds of the area under its 
control. These are admirable achievements for which the mineowners 
must be given credit, the whole cost having been met from self-imposed 
Cesses on owners and receivers of rovalties. 
Extension of Health and Welfare Activities. 
As these Boards of Health have successfully served the purpose for 
which they were originally constituted, it is not surprising to find that 
Shey should look for other fields of activity. These lie to hand and have 
been already explored to some extent. For some years past the Asansol 
Mines Board of Health has maintained three certificated midwives to give 
free attendance and advice to the women of the mining settlement. 
The Jharia Mines Board has at present under consideration the construc- 
tion of a central hospital, the extension of medical relief for women and the 
provision of maternity-relief and child-welfare centres. Some months ago 
the Jharia Board also sanctioned an experimental maternity scheme, and 
in November 1930, a Maternity Supervisor was appointed to supervise 
the work of midwives employed on a group of collieries in the centre of 
the coalfield. We dealin another chapter with general welfare activities, 
including those specifically affecting women, but we believe these to be 
legitimate extensions of the Boards’ activities, and we recommend a 
policy of steady growth along these lines, In order that no doubt may 
arse as to the functions which the Boards may legitimately assume, 
Wwe recommend that the Mining Settlement Acts, which provide for 
the control and sanitation of these areas in Bihar and in Bengal, should 
be amended accordingly and that the Boards be re-named Boards of 
Health and Welfare. We also recommend that each Board should be 
enlarged so as to give increased representation to employers and to 
include representatives of the-workers, chosen where possible in consulta- 
bion with their organisations, and at least one woman member.