THE INCOME OF THE INDUSTRIAL WORKER. 203
large volume of unemployment probably results in a low scale of monthly
earnings, but in Bombay, according to an estimate made by the Port
Trust, the average monthly earnings, including payment for overtime,
of a dock labourer in the employ of the Trust is about Rs. 32. This,
however, must not be taken as covering the majority of the men employ-
ed in the docks. In Calcutta the average monthly earnings of stevedore
labour are estimated to be about Rs. 20.
Unskilled Labourers.
The lowest paid industrial workers are the labourers en-
Zaged on manual work which does not require any substantial degree
of intelligence or skill. These fall roughly into two classes. There are
2 number of labourers regularly employed on manual work in factories
and other industrial establishments. In the majority of provinces few
men in this class are able to earn more than Rs. 15 a month regularly ;
the majority earn less and earnings are sometimes as low as Rs. 10.
In the Punjab and Delhi the average would seem to be above Rs. 15,
while in the Bombay Presidency and Burma it is nearer Rs. 20 and Rs. 25
respectively. The other class consists of the large volume of unskill-
ed labour engaged in various miscellaneous occupations on daily rates
finding employment in industry either casually or for limited spells.
The wages paid to this class of worker are influenced to a large extent
by the prevailing rates of wages for agricultural labour in the neighbour-
hood and these vary from province to province and even from district
bo district. While it can be stated with some confidence that this
class of worker earns appreciably more than the agricultural labourer,
his earnings are usually low. In centres of Burma and the Bombay
Presidency the prevailing rate for men seems to be above 12 annas while
in Delhi and the Punjab it is below that figure. In Bengal, Bihar
and Orissa and parts of the Central Provinces, the daily rates are roughly
3 annas for men, 6 annas for women and 4 annas for children, but in
Madras, the United Provinces and some parts of the Central Provinces
the rates are lower and in some areas of these provinces are as low as 5
annas a dav for men.
Wage Levels in Different Provinces.
Some light is thrown on the variations between different
provinces by certain statistics relating to cases under the Workmen's
Compensation Act. These are prepared by provincial Governments and
show the number of persons in each wage class to whom comperisa-
tion was awarded in cases coming before Commissioners. They relate
lazgely to fatal and serious accidents. The wage classes are arranged
as In the schedule of assumed wages given in the Act, and these are
determined by the average earnings of the worker prior to the
accident. The statistics we give below relate to the five years 1925, 1926,
1927, 1928 and 1929, which constitute a period ‘during which wage
levels generally were fairly steady.. The figures; ‘however; must be
accepted with some caution. In the first place, it cannot be assumed