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MINUTE BY SIR VICTOR SASSOON. -

Let us now examine the grounds on which my colleagues think
that such an increase in efficiency is probable or even possible. The most
striking feature of the Chapter on Hours in Factories is that there is a
complete absence of statistics on this question. There is no evidence
adduced to show that a reduction of hours below 60 per week has ever
resulted in an appreciable increase of efficiency on the part of the workers.
Through the good offices of the Bombay Millowners’ Association I have
been able to submit to my colleagues the results available in Bombay
where a shorter shift than ten hours has been tried. (See Appendix to
this Note.) I do not pretend that the evidence is conclusive, but it is
particularly valuable where a day shift of ten hours and a night shift
of nine hours have been worked : results are then more truly comparable
than in a case where a mill has gone over from one system to another,
when the “sorts ” manufactured may have varied and even machinery
may have been altered in the interval.

On general grounds also, it may be doubted whether any great
measure of increased efficiency can be obtained from the Indian work-
men at the present time : to quote the words of my colleagues :—

“ But it must be admitted that the Indian industrial worker produces less per
unit than the worker in any other country claiming to rank as a leading industrial
nation. The causes of this low efficiency are complex. Some are to be found in the
climate of India and other factors; but a powerful influence is exercised everywhere
by the low standard of living. Inefficiency is attributable to lack of both physical
energy and mental vigour. These are to a large extent different aspects of the same
defect, for physical weakness cuts at the root of ambition, initiative and desire.”!

and on the following page of the same Chapter :—

* It must also be admitted that ambition is not particularly vigorous with many
Indian workers. ...”.
I fancy that my colleagues have fallen into a psychological error
with regard to the question of hours of work in India. The subject is
one of great difficulty and intricacy. The chief difficulty lies in the com-
plications caused by the differing climatic conditions in this country.
The standardisation of hours is rendered more complex by the variations
in climate between one province and another, and even between one part
of the year and another, in the same province. In other words, hours of
work which might appear unendurable in one province might be reason-
able in another, and hours of work which might be appropriate in the
cold weather might be excessive in the hot weather in the same district.

“ Loitering ” is a characteristic known to everyone familiar
with industry in India and the statement that it is a form of self-defence
against overwork® is only partially true. Nor is it entirely confined to
the cotton industry. The representative of the Chamber of Commerce
in the Central Provinces, the representative of the Industries
Department of the Government of the United Provinces, the Tepresen-
tative of the Central Provinces and Berar Mining Association,
the Director of Industries of the Punjab Government, the Inspector
of Factories in Delhi and the Chief Inspector of Factories in Madras, all
tendered evidence showing that the Indian worker has an innate instinct
1 Page 208.
2 Page 41.