WAGES ON PLANTATIONS.

307

(c) whether overtime rates should be payablein respect of work
for hours in excess of those constituting a normal “day ”;

(d) the system by which any non-able-bodied or sub-ordinary
worker should be classified for the purpose of exemption from the
operation of the basic rate and his appropriate rate determined :

{e) the best method of dealing with concessions.

As we have shown, concessions vary in quality and quantity
and some are not available for a large number of workers. They can
be divided into two distinct categories—those supplied to all workers, such
as housing, and those supplied only to certain workers, such as land for
private cultivation. We consider that, as under the Ceylon scheme, the
Board or Boards should avoid assessing any monetary value in the case
of concessions coming under the first category, for two reasons. In
the first place, such amenities by long standing custom have been pro-
vided free of charge to the worker. In the second place, his wage rates
are already based on the assumption that the expenditure under this
head falls on the employer and that the worker makes no direct contribu-
tion. As regards the main concession coming under the second cate-
gory—namely, land for private cultivation—some managers charge an un-
economic rent, others charge no rent and yet others have no such land
at their dispesal. It is clear, therefore, that in such cases the Board or
Boards will be free to consider how to evaluate such concessions, where
granted, and whether they should be related to the statutory wage rate.

. Before a final decision is reached as to the basic rates, provision
should be made for the proposed rates to he published and for considera-
tion of any objections received within a specified time. After such con-
sideration, the rates as finally approved should be submitted to the local
Government for confirmation. The functions of the Board or Boards
would here cease, and it would be the duty of the Government, if it con-
firms the rates, to give effect to them. Arrangements should, however,
be made for annual meetings to afford an opportunity for consideration
of the Government report on the working of the machinery, and to consi-
der the necessity for proposing any variations in the rates in operation.

Inspection.

Another practical point of importance is that of enforcement.
It is not uncommonly supposed that the enforcement of statutory wage
rates implies ““ an army of inspectors ”, involving a large amount of both
expense and irritation. We believe that, if basic rates of wages in Assam
were fixed with due care and attention, only a small staff would be re-
quired for their enforcement. Owing to the seasonal nature of the
industry, the tea factories of Assam, unlike those in Ceylon or in South
India, are open for only part of the year. Moreover, the number of such
factories and the nature of their inspection does not involve the volume
of work to be found in a corresponding area in other parts of India, where
one or more industrial cities are included, although in Assam the amount
of time absorbed by travelling long distances by rail and motor has
bo be taken into consideration. We believe that the duties of factory