“86

- MINUTE BY SIR VICTOR SASSOON.

Comments.—In this Mill the Spinning Department had been running double shifts
six weeks longer than the Weaving Department. The high efficiency in the 9-hour shift
in the Spinning Department is accounted for by the cooler working conditions during
the night shift, and the less frequent absences from work during the night hours, Whether
the Mills will continue to obtain the same results in Spinning throughout the year
they cannot say ; but they feel confident in asserting that they will continue to obtain
a production in 9-hour day shift proportionate to the 10-hour day shift. The Weaving
figures are not so satisfactory so far, but this may be due to the night shift of 9 hours
having been only recently introduced. The most recent returns from this mill show a
nearer approach to the day shift rate of production than those quoted above.

3. The Apollo Mills.—(December—January).

10-hour day shift ; 9-hour night shift.

Spinning. —Average production in 10 hours
Production on 9-hour shift should be -
Actual production on 9-hour shift “st
Wetiwing.—Average production on 10-hour shift
Production on 9-hour shift should be ..
Actual produetion on 9-hour shift ..

Comments,—In this Mill the Weaving Department has been running 9-hour shift for
a longer time than the Spinning Department. The Mill Authorities make similar com-
ments as in the case of the Manchester Mills.
4. The Bombay Dyeing and Manufacturing Company, Limited. —This Mill worked two
shifts of 8 hours for nearly three years, 1921.23, The shifts were from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m.
with one hour interval, and 2-15 p.M. to 11-15 p.m. with a similar one hour interval. The
Mill reverted to a single shift of 10 hours after 1923.

Spinning.—Average production per 10 hours 1923-25 27 a 100
Production 1921-23 on Sshour shift should be .. ve .. 80
Actual production 1921-23 on 8-hour day shift ot . vy 76
Weaving.—Average production per 10-hour shift 1923-26  .. #4 100
Production 1921-23 on 8-hour day shift should be . a 80
Actual production 1921-23 on 8-hour day shift .e 15-4

Comments.—The Agents attribute the very poor figures of production in both Spinning
and Weaving on 8-hour shifts in 1921-23 as being due in'some part to labour shortage and
general labour inefficiency during the boom period when the 8-hour shift system was being
worked. They also state that there were excessive machinery breakages while the two-
shift system was in vogue.

OBSERVATIONS OF THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMISSION ON SIR
VICTOR SASSOON’S MINUTE.

Our colleague, Sir Victor Sassoon, has appended a minute
of dissent containing a number of general observations and a more
detailed discussion of two important questions on which he definitely
differs from us. As he observes, “ Basically there is very little difference
of opinion between us”, and in fact with his practical experience he
has made a valuable contribution to the Report.

In respect of the application of Western methods to India,
we are fully conscious of “the long period of experiment and develop-
ment out of which the present industrial system in the Western Hemi-
sphere has been gradually evolved ”. If wehave not stressed this, it
is partly because our recommendations find their justification in Indian
needs and are very far from an attempt to copy the methods of the West
as they stand. Those who are familiar only with the West are more
likely to be struck by the divergence of many of our recommendations