"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