Report of the Royal Commission on Labour in India

Bibliographic data

Monograph

Identifikator:: 1850495947

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-233603

Document type:: Monograph

Title:: Report of the Royal Commission on Labour in India

Place of publication:: London

Publisher:: His Majesty's Stationery Off.

Year of publication:: 1931

Scope:: xviii, 580 S.; graph. Darst., Kt.

Digitisation:: 2022

Collection:: Economics Books

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Chapter

Document type:: Monograph

Structure type:: Chapter

Title:: Chapter XI. - Transport services and public works

Collection:: Economics Books

190 CHAPTER XI. Control of Hours. The control of hours of work on all tramways and motor buses raises problems of great complexity. So far as tramways alone are con- cerned, we do not think that control would be difficult, but it is probably here that it is least needed. The regulation of hours of motor bus workers both in cities and in the country, especially the latter, would be very difficult in the present stage of development, and would involve the res- triction of hours, not merely for labour, 7.e., for persons who are employed by others, but for owner-drivers with whom we are not con- cerned. When the hours of work exceed what is reasonable for the driver, they exceed what is safe for the passengers, and both considerations will require increasing attention. But we are not in a position to indicate any general scheme of control which would be effective at the present time. The extension and development of motor transport will necessitate an increasing measure of control by the licensing authorities. We there- fore suggest that, in granting licenses, the authorities should consider whether, in particular cases, a limitation on hours is required, and if so, how it can be enforced. We consider it preferable not to enforce a statu- tory restriction on tramways at this stage, but we recommend to those responsible for their management that the weekly hours should not exceed 54 per week, and that the hours of duty should be so arranged as to compel the workers to take one day’s rest in seven. Public Works. In concluding this chapter we desire to make some recommenda- tions in respect of public works. If we had followed strictly the definition of an ‘industrial undertaking” adopted by the First International Labour Conference in the Hours of Work Convention, we would have been compelled to regard our terms of reference as covering all labour em- ployed on construction, maintenance and repair work of all kinds, from village houses to the largest canals. Building work of various kinds is, for the most part, quite unorganised and is scattered all over India. We therefore found it necessary to limit severely our survey in this direction and confined our attention to public works. These include the great majority of the larger constructional enterprises in India and an immense number of smaller works of all kinds. Indeed, there is probably no country where Government takes so large a part in the construction and maintenance of canals, roads and buildings. Every province has its own Public Works Department, which is usually divided into two branches, namely, the Irrigation Branch and the Roads and Buildings Branch, each with its own staff. The great irrigation canals now irrigate about 27-5 million acres and are being steadily extended. At the present time there is in progress in Sind the Lloyd Barrage and Canals Scheme, which is perhaps the biggest work of its kind in the world. It was started in 1921 and is not expected to be completed until 1934. The labour employed is imported from many distant areas, such as Rajputana, the Punjab, the United Pro- vinces, the Frontier areas and Afghanistan. The supply of labour has been increasing each year and so far has never been equal to the demand. T+ alea shows considerable variations with the seazons. In 1928-29 the

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