495 
General and Special Questions. 
BURMA AND INDIA, 
These contrasts, great as they are, do not justify separate treat- 
ment of India and Burma in respect of the great majority of labour ques- 
sions. The evidence presented to us in Burma satisfied us that the general 
principles applicable to India lost none of their force when applied there, 
and throughout the greater part of our report, we have found no diffi- 
culty in treating the two countries together. Our general recommenda- 
tions, therefore, as opposed to those directed to special areas and 
local problems, are intended for both countries. In respect of legisla- 
tion in particular, the uniformity which has hitherto been maintained 
has been, in our view, justified by the facts and needs of both, and 
we see no reason for the adoption of essentially different standards 
now. There are, however, certain problems which arise in Burma not so 
much out of the nature of its economic resources as out of its relations with 
India in the field of labour. These are not discussed in the preceding 
chapters and must now receive attention. The questions are those 
connected with the employment in Burma of immigrant Indian labour. 
We desire to make it clear at the outset that we have not ignored the 
needs of Burmese labour. This labour stands in no essentially different 
position in Burma from that of Indian labour in India, and the recom- 
mendations made in other parts of this report are designed to meet the 
needs of both. On the other hand, Indian labour in Burma has peculiar 
difficulties, and it is with these that we are primarily concerned in this 
chapter. 
Employment of Indian Labour. 
The industrics of Burma are largely dependent on Indian labour. 
Accurate and up-to-date figures are not available for industry generally 
but it is safe to say that atleast two-thirds of the workers employed in 
factories, mines and oilfields, railways and plantations are Indians. In 
nearly every branch of organised industry Indians greatly outnumber 
Burmans and, indeed, all other races combined. In the unskilled occu- 
pations, the proportion of Indians is particularly high. For various 
reasons the problems of the immigrant Indian find their focus in Rangoon, 
the only industrial city in Burma, and we deal mainly with con- 
ditions in that city. At the 1921 census Indians constituted over 
55%, of the total population of Rangoon and over 65% of the male 
population. About 70%, of the male persons between 15 and 50 years of 
age were Hindus and Musalmans, and of these 95%, were not born in 
Burma. In Rangoon factories 95%, of the unskilled and 70% of the 
skilled labour were reported to be Indian in 1928, and the position does 
not appear to have changed since then. Until 1930 the Port of Rangoon 
was worked entirely by Indian labour, and although events in that year 
brought about some modification of that position, it is still true in the 
main. India also supplies the bulk of the tramway workers and of the 
sampanwallas, all the rickshaw pullers and handeart pullers, and nearly 
all the general labour of other kinds. In fact the economic life of Rangoon 
and the industrial activity of Burma generally are dependent on the 
labour of Indians.