OBSERVATIONS ON SIR VICTOR SASSOON’S MINUTE. 489
reasonable 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”. The fact is that the arrangement of hours throughout the
cotton mill industry is remarkably uniform and shows no consciousness
of the alleged difficulties. In Bombay, Ahmedabad, Calcutta, Cawnpore,
Delhi, Madras and, indeed, throughout India, nearly all the mills work
a 10 hour day in the hot and the cold weather alike.

Sir Victor Sassoon observes « The only practical way in which I
cai envisage any reduction of hours in the textile industry without dislo-
cation is an attempt to shorten them when the prosperity of the industry
is such that a rise in wages is due ”. A reduction of hours at any time
may involve some temporary dislocation ; but we can not subscribe to the
view that the reduction should be postponed to such an indefinite future.
Reform is likely to be more difficult when the demand for production is
keenest, and in some respects, the present time, as we have already shown,
is particularly suitable for making a change.

Sir Victor Sassoon has dealt at some length with our conclusions
regarding the application of wage-fixing machinery to the tea plantations
in Assam. He makes distinctions between agriculture and industry and
advances different points of view which we cannot accept. In his opinion
wage-fixing machinery should not be set up in Assam until it is first proved
that conditions in the plantations * are so shocking that their remedy
brooks no delay ” or until action is taken on the lines recommended
in the Report with reference to Indian industries generally. Having
already dealt so fully with the special considerations that have led us to
the conclusion that wage-fixing machinery, if practicable, is desirable
in the case of the Assam plantations. we do not feel called upon to cover
the ground again.

We would point out, however, that, in his survey of the condi-
tions, our colleague has not given due weight to the differences between
Assam plantations and other industries, which we regard as of material
importance. He admits that recruitment for Assam is not free and that
long distances have to be covered by the workers and their families,
in whose recruitment large sums of money are being expended by the
industry. But no mention is made of the fact that, under existing

conditions, it is difficult for workers and their families to find their way
back to their villages, should they so desire, without the consent and
assistance of their employers. Nor is any reference made to the fact
that, in the case of the great bulk of the plantations, it is difficult for any
worker and his family to change their employment from one estate to
another without the consent of the employer. Keeping in view, also,
that wages are determined by the joint action of employers in a manner
unknown in industries generally, we regret we cannot agree with our
colleague as to the conditions and circumstances which alone would
justify, in his opinion, the application of wage-fixing machinery in Assam.

As regards Sir Victor Sassoon’s remarks on the subject of the
inclusion of intelligent and sympathetic outsiders on Minimum Wage
Boards. we have dealt with this fully in the Revort. There we pointed out