MINUTE BY SIR VICTOR SASSOON.
rates for the same work. The tea industry is in a more fortunate position
than most other Indian industries in that to a considerable extent there
is ““ standardisation in the matter of wages, as a result of combination
amongst employers **

2. The analogy drawn from conditions in Ceylon will not to my
mind bear investigation. The Ceylon tea industry draw their labour from
[ndia, under a different Government, and the two countries have come to
an agreement with regard to a minimum wage in order that the Govern-
ment of India may be assured as to the conditions of her emigrants abroad.
The conditions are totally different in Assam. This province and the
areas from which the Assam tea industry draws its labour force are both
under the Central Government of India, and labour should be allowed to
flow to and from Assam in the same manner as in other provinces and in-
dustries.
3. In my view recruiting difficulties will solve themselves in the
near future (a) by the improvement of health conditions in the unhealthy
areas, (b) by the power to use honest propaganda, and (c) by the impro-
bability that the expansion of the industry at the previous rate will con-
tinue. At the present time economic conditions appear to be such as to
make the employment of existing labour rather than the attraction of new
workers the problem of the moment.

It is held, however, by some that the Indian Tea Association
need not fear the institution of these Boards since under present condi-
tions they will do no more than bring up the laggards of the industry to
the general level of the majority. If this isthe view of the Indian Tea
Association and they desire the statutory institution of these Boards so as
to bring into line the ten per cent of the planters who are not in their
Association, any objections I may have raised fall to the ground. I am,
however, definitely opposed in principle to the establishment of Minimum
Wage Boards in any industry except at the request and desire of the majo-
tity of the industry even when the principle of their application has been
adopted for all India, without a preliminary enquiry on the lines recom-
mended in our Report, namely :—

“ So far as wage rates are concerned, it is desirable to have as full information as
possible regarding both the methods of remuneration and the actual rates, including
the variation in the latter from centre to centre and from establishment to establish.
ment. When this information is available, it should be possible to say, not merely
ther the fing of minimum wages is desirable, but also whether it is practi:
In any case the type of Minimum Wage Board recommended by
the International Labour Office, that is to say equal representation of em-
ployers and employed with an independent chairman, could not be applied
to Assam. Labour in Assam is completely illiterate and totally untrained
in negotiation, The proposal of the Commission to substitute intelligent
and sympathetic outsiders to take the place of the labour representatives
aullifies the system visualised by. the International Labour Office whereby
the bargaining parties in a trade settle their own affairs under an indepen-
1 Page 385.
2 Page 213.