302 CHAPTER XVI. 
perhaps 2,000,000 workers to the number (estimated at 4,000,000) already 
included. But the increase in the number of possible claims will be by 
no means proportionate. We desire to reiterate that the extension of the 
Act should not cease, or be suspended, with the inclusion of these classes : 
and we hope that, as in the past, the Government of India will continue 
to add fresh classes as further experience becomes available. 
Qualifications of Definition of ¢* Workman >’. 
Before leaving the question of the definition of * workman ”, 
some comments mast be made on the general qualifications of that de- 
finition. The exclusion of the armed forces of the Crown is said to deprive 
certain dock and factory workers employed by the Royal Indian Marine 
of the right to compensation, and it is desirable that the exception 
should be modified, if this is necessary, in order to include persons who, 
though falling within the present exception, are genuinely industrial 
workers. The exception relating to casual labour is suitable, but we doubt 
if the reference to manual labour serves any useful purpose; there would 
appear to be no manual labourers in India in receipt of over Rs. 300. 
and we think that the monetary limit should be sufficient. 
Existing Scales. 
The present scales of compensation may be briefly summarised 
For temporary disablement the scale is based on half the rate of wages, 
the waiting period is fixed at 10 days and the maximum period of pay- 
ment at 5 years. For complete permanent disablement the sum pay- 
able is 42 months’ wages ; and for partial permanent disablement com- 
pensation is fixed at fractions of this amount corresponding to the loss 
of earning capacity, that loss being arbitrarily fixed for certain injuries 
by a schedule on the American model. For death the compensation 
is 30 months’ wages. These scales apply to adults ; for minors the com- 
pensation for temporary disablement is at the rate of two-thirds wages 
up to 15 years of age and full wages thereafter, and for permanent com- 
pensation the number of months’ wages is double that prescribed for 
adults. For death in the case of minors a fixed small sum is payable, 
irrespective of wages. All the other payments which are regulated by 
wages, are subject to minima and maxima. Ip the case of the death 
of adults and all permanent disablement the maximum corresponds to a 
wage level of roughly Rs. 83 per mensem, and in the case of temporary 
disablement to a wage level of Rs. 60, t.e., the receipt of wages in excess 
of those sums does not add to the compensation. The minimum in all 
cases {except the death of minors) corresponds to a wage of Rs. 9. The 
amounts are rounded by means of a schedule of assumed wages, which 
has the effect of dividing workmen into 14 classes ; all workmen in the 
sare class get compensation on the same scale. 
Lump-sum Payments. 
The most striking feature of these scales is the preference shown 
for lump sums as against recurring payments. Lump sums are invariably 
due from emvplovers for death and permanent disablement, although