122. MINUTE BY SIR VICTOR SASSOON.
migration. It is to be feared that some of the opponents of emigration
into Assam were interested in preventing labour from strengthening its
position in the, recruiting areas. Having endeavoured to examine the
question from both ends, the source of the labour and its destination,
we are satisfied that the labourers generally improve their condition by
smigration 7.1

The Commission could hardly come to any other conclusion in
face of the evidence referred to on page 362 showing how the conditions
in parts of Bihar and Madras, for example, from which recruits are drawn
are not far removed from slavery.

With regard to the health of the workers in Assam, the Report
states that the general standard of the physique of plantation labourers
“is certainly higher than that of the population of the recruiting areas.”.?
That there are still unhealthy gardens no one will deny. The tea industry
has its black sheep like any other, but during the last five years serious
efforts have been made to reduce the incidence of malaria in the gardens
by the Indian Tea Association which is said to comprise 90 per cent of
the plantations. Where the incidence of malaria is low there is usually
no difficulty with regard to recruiting. +“ In one garden which we visited,
where the incidence was very low, it had been unnecessary to do any active
recruitment for over twenty years.” ® The Report of the Commission
continues, “ We believe that the effective control of malaria would
oring about a radical transformation in the health conditions of the plan-
bation areas. One result would be to increase the effectiveness and con-
bentment of the existing labour force. In addition less difficulty would
be experienced in reconciling labour recruits to the new conditions of
life 8
Medical opinion as to the best method of abolishirig malaria has
by no means been unanimous in the past and the persistence of this
disease must partly be ascribed to unsuccessful experimentation in this
direction. That the planters are taking practical steps to combat malaria
is shown, by the evidence given before the Commission. Moreover the
Indian Tea Association “has made generous grants to the Calcutta
Schcol of Tropical Medicines to assist its researches on malaria and hook-
worm and has also helped to finance the successful campaign against
kala-azar 4

The above quotations must convince even the most sceptical
that the emigrant to Assam enjoys a change for the better. That there
is still a shortage of labour in the tea industry is due, in my opinion,
first to the expansion of the industry by 300 per cent during the last
forty years, secondly to the counter-propaganda referred to above, which
still exists in recruiting areas, and lastly to the fact that many of those
who. serve the tea industry are able to leave it for a more independent
existence.
1
2
3

Page 362.
Page 405,
Page 4086.
Page 407