: ~~ 
CHAPTER XXV, 
light of the opinions forwarded. After this the measure, as amended by 
the Committee, returns to the House and passes through its remaining 
stages. Consideration by the other chamber, re-examination of amend- 
ments made there and the assent of the Governor General complete the 
procedure ; but ordinarily some time is allowed to elapse between the 
passing of the Act and its coming into force. The object of the pro- 
cedure we have outlined is to ensure that measures are not adopted without 
the fullest examination of their possible repercussions in every part of 
India. The immense area to which a general labour law is applicable 
and the variety of customs and conditions within that area have been 
brought home to us vividly by our tours, and we recognise the great 
importance of securing that bills are not passed without a clear recogni- 
tion of their probable effects in the many places concerned. The evident 
aim is to secure for Government and the legislature the distillation of the 
wisdom and experience available in the provinces. 
Defects of the Present System. 
But in our view, the system is wasteful of time and energy, and 
does not focus opinion and experience in the best manner possible. So 
far as time is concerned, the particulars furnished to us of the progress of 
the labour measures passed in the last ten years show that the process 
is a slow one, and it seems to have become slower in recent years. The 
absence of speed in legislation is not, however, the principal defect of the 
present system. While progress could be secured by other methods with 
somewhat less delay, it is especially dangerous in India to act without 
an adequate exploration of the ground. The main weakness of the 
present system is that the only examination of proposals which most of 
those consulted are able to make is conducted independently in separate 
offices. So far as we can judge from the correspondence that has been 
supplied to us, much of the criticism is destructive, and many opinions 
are prepared without adequate material or a sufficiently wide view of 
the subject. It is, indeed, difficult for any one, who is unable to test his 
ideas in the light of the differing experience of others, to make construct- 
ive contributions to a complex proposal. Employers’ representatives, 
workers’ representatives and officials all suffer in the process by lack 
of contact with each other. On atleast one occasion in the past contact 
was secured with evident benefit : the framework of the present Work- 
men’s Compensation Act was devised largely by a committee which in- 
cluded some employers, labour leaders and officials. If representa- 
tives of all three classes could be regularly brought together to consider 
proposals in consultation, the result would be the evolution, in a shorter 
time and with a great saving of energy, of measures that would rest on a 
sound foundation of practical experience. The ultimate responsibility 
for labour laws, as for other laws, must rest with the legislatures, but 
their deliberations would be greatly assisted if they could be furnished with 
the collective views of those who, as representing employers, workers and 
the executive governments, can bring special knowledge to bear on such 
questions. The bringing to a common point of the experience of these 
oroups should be of material value in the evolution of wise and practical