540

APPENDIX II.
Commission therefore suggests that the selection of families should be made on some
systematic method of sampling to be determined after a preliminary survey of the
field. The Commission reaises that a choice may have tobe made between adequate
illustration of the conditions in a narrow field and random instances drawn from a
larger population and it takes the view that the results are more likely to be valuable
if the workers belong to one typical establishment in a single industrial centre, or
at most to a few establishments rather than to a larger number of widely separated
centres and industries. Further, the chances of securing representative budgets
would be very much greater if the enquiry is restricted to the poorer working class
families. Wage rates differ in the various parts of the country and it is difficult to
uame a uniform figure as the family income limit above which the Commission does
not wish to go but generally it would prefer budgets of families whose combined
income is not above Rs. 50 per mensem.,

The Commission trusts that the Local Government, if suitable information
i8 not already available to them, will find it possible to conduct an enquiry on the
lines suggested and to furnish the results to the Commission appending such notes
as they may think fit to indicate the manner in which the enquiry was conducted,
the method of sampling adopted and any conclusions which they may have drawn
from its results. The Commission understands that some enquiries of the kind
have been conducted by University professors, economists and social workers.
There is, of course, no objection to the utilisation of non-official agencies for the pur-
pose of assisting in this enquiry. It is hoped, however, that every effort will be made
to see that the information furnished is as accurate as possible and based on actual
facts.

5. Another matterin which the Commission is anxious to enlist the co-operation
of the Local Government in securing additional information is in regard to the fac-
tories which are not governed by the provisions of the Indian Factories Act. These
factories come under the following two categories :—

(1) factories using power but employing less than 20 persons at one time :

(2) factories and workshops not using power.
The Commission will have to consider to what extent it is desirable to bring these
establishments under official control, and for this purpose it is anxious to obtain
fuller information than it has hitherto received. It would therefore be glad if the
Local Government could help in this matter by furnishing particulars regarding the
industries which are being carried on in unregulated establishments, the number of
such establishments, the numbers of men, of women and of children employed in
them, the conditions under which they are employed, with particular reference to
their earnings and hours of work, the minimum ages of the children in employment
and the effect which employment has on their health, In regard Yo factories using
power but employing less than 20 persons information is also desired as to whether,
owing to lack of proper precautions for the fencing of machinery, the workers are
°Xposed to any undue risks, The information required need only deal with—

(a) factories using power and employing 10 or more persons on any one day

in the year;

{b) factories and workshops not using power and employing 50 persons or

more on any one day in the year; and .

{¢) smaller factories and workshops engaged in any particular industry which
in the aggregate employs a considerable number of hands.
The Commission would also be glad to know what additional staff the Local Govern.
ment consider would be required for the inspection of each of these classes.

6. The Commission realizes that the above requests for additional information
will involve a considerable amount of trouble to the Local Government, but it feels
that, in view of the importance of the subjects with which they deal and the incom-
pleteness of the information which has so far been obtained on them, it is necessary
to obtain further information, I am to request that the supplementary information
now desired may be forwarded to the Commission as soon as it is collected and in
any case not later than the 15th October 1930, It would be convenient if it could
be embodied in a supplementary memorandum, 40 copies of which may be forwarded
for the use of the Members.