"AA 
CHAPTER XXIV. 
same centre, so that representative samples are difficult to secure. These 
considerations mean, that fairly elaborate machinery is required for any 
satisfactory wages enquiry. 
A Statistics Act. 
Further, we doubt if any extensive progress can be made with- 
out statutory powers. The Bombay enquiries have been carried through 
with the co-operation of the millowners, which was accorded on a generous 
scale ; but it seems to us unlikely that the same amount of success could 
be achieved elsewhere by voluntary methods, and we note that the ex- 
perience gained in Bombay led to the sponsoring of a “statistics bill by the 
provincial Government in 1924. Opposition was offered to it, especially 
by employers who were apparently reluctant to concede the Labour 
Office extensive powers, and it was abandoned by the Government in 
1926. We believe that the principle of the measure was sound ; legisla- 
tion for the collection of statistics regarding the economic condition of 
the people is now in force in the majority of countries of any industrial 
importance. In respect both of wages and of other subjects bearing on 
the life of the industrial worker, the systematic collection of statistics 
requires legislation. We observe that the majority of the Indian Econo- 
mic Enquiry Committee of 1925 advocated the passing of a comprehensive 
Census and Statistics Act. The remaining member, whilst accepting 
the principle of compulsion, proposed to amend the Factories Act to 
secure the same end. We have already recommended an amendment 
of this Act in order to secure particulars of wages, but we do not think its 
scope is wide enough for the needs we have in view. We recommend 
that legislation be adopted, preferably by the Central Legislature, en- 
abling the competent authority to collect information from employers 
regarding the remuneration, attendance and living conditions (including 
housing) of industrial labour, from merchants regarding prices, from 
money-lenders regarding loans to workers and from landlords regard- 
ing rentals. We do not think that there need be any apprehen- 
sion regarding the possible abuse of such powers by Government 
departments. But we propose in the following chapter the constitu- 
tion of a body including employers which could be consulted 
in the matter. A body of this kind, when they were satisfied regarding 
the need of compulsory powers and the discretion that would be shown 
in using them, would be able to give the necessary authority to Gov- 
ernment offices and other reputable enquirers. It would naturally be a 
statutory condition that individual returns should not be published or 
disclosed without express permission. 
Earnings. 
The need for accurate information is even greater in the case of 
earnings than in the case of wage rates. Although some light on earn- 
ings can be obtained from the collection of accurate wage statistics, 
reliable information regarding these cannot ordinarily be obtained from 
the employer. As a matter of fact, in many cases the employer’s books 
do not contain particulars of the earnings of the individual worker. The