CHAP1tR V

I

Ttw geno~el lmprecolan af the matarlQl condltlons of lobo&m

ln tfta Asae:n too plantct1ana ptto,lectcd by tho plant&ro and tho

colonial otato I!S8a ono of •camfott1 and 1W9ll·bo1ng'• Thlo

lmpreoolon wee rclnfoRed b1 clelma that lotr.Jur vms paid wall

otUNgh not onl v t:» llvm 1n 'comfort • bUt ouan to eevo. ro~

oxemple, tfte Aoscm Lobmn" tnQUlrV CO!mllttea ln 1906 UlfOtet "on

tho d\olo thO wagaa paid to tho letmurcms ero sutf1clont to keep

them ln comfort, and own to onat>lc t.ttom wlth tho p~ectics of a

little thrift to eave monay.n' Ttta plcturo p3lnted of tho perma­

nenUy settled letm.mcws ~:~ao oven ~osm. It dO clolmed that

tho obJact of ouch om1;ranta waa not, an o rule, to so\19 monov

taut rather to lecd o 1pleasont' life. Th9 emigrants of a~lgl-

nel atock u:ero s~c1f1co11y mentlanl!d as belonging to thla catG;ottY•

cttfo lliOrks on:augh to prov1do hlmsolf m1th foOd and cloUting end o

b'a~ luxu~toe1 and if tm has any surplus cuh1 tts sponds a goad

c!eol of it ln dtln!clno, gsmbltng, end eadcfightlng. Tho otandOttd

of llvlnr} or ttm ordlnarv calio ls c~telnlv c:ruch in et!vanca of

what it would be in hlo ¢DR count~y... ln addition to th9 ordt-

- 116-

nuy auppllea, f0l31a, CSUCks, ond fish are largely bought, end

there ls a general o1r or prosperity about tha holiday making

cro=t, which 1s convlnctng praof that tho coolie 1a fairly eall

off ln hie MID ftGms. n2 It mas tur1tt\or pointed out that the cash

UJSWJ did nut represent tha total oarnlngo of the labourer, olnce

lt was oupplomented by g~ants of cultlveblo land, either tree or

for nominal payments, os well as by the provlslon of cheep eube~

dissd riee during caJtein porlodo.' Mr B'uckln~em, a repreS9nte­

tive of plantoro 1n tho Central Laglelatlva Counc111 had prov~ed

e longor list of' euch supplemental'y SOUI'coe of income by lncludlng

in th1e category medical comforts, eictcneee aUomoncoe, heo diet

for clck 'coolies' • fcoo housing, firewoOd, ota. 4

Anotmr factor euppoaedly contrlbutlng to tho 'pl'oaparity'

and 1luXUJtlow1 llvlno of tea garden labour was oald to bo the

much hlgtmr nfemUy.wago" as compared to tho lndlvldual eenlft99•

lt wao assertod, for pwpoeeo of c:omparle.an, that plantations, by

employing men, cmmon end children effOl'dod tho lebaurlng fernlly

a much hi~er •resnuv-wano' than ln athol' maJcw lndustrloo ln tf\a

organised sec~. 9 In ttto plantstlons1 t.ha~efaro, tho~o wore

' ~lffitteo, SQtS.,Ua. P• 297.

4 at.. 1901, Uol. ~. P• 51f Also 899 l!A l!gpoAA1 19001 PP• 129-)0. Anotha~ epatcesman of the lndusuy provldad a lonp llat of 0 concess1ons« which Included "f~eo housing, senlta­tlon, wate~ oupply, madlcel attendance, flxad oaoaa, eec~ity egainot femlno, ond aubalstence uhiln sicka Ittq,t.tmu. ~U 4, 1902, P• 6•

-,,.,_

"comp~etlvelv rem non-lDOrtdng tfaperutants

in a w:Jrklng elena femllv• Tho effect of tnlo an t.ha stenctord

of llulng iG 1mpotttent, fOl't evan with loCJ illlSlvlcSual eaMlngs,

tho totQl f&'lllly lnc~ ls suffichntly high to prewn\ tho

Clotkor hem feeling tho plm:lh or poua"''· o6

ln ooctitlon to tim 8 CCf'lCesslona" end "femU.y.wsgo"". lkia

(owr-t&me) oernln;a were eonslttered to bo vet enothe~ supple-

rnant.sy source of 1ncomD ln tho QEmcScns. Tho $lr£D, oDl'ftlng wat)

posoiblo, lt ~s9 celdt boeauae the standard dally eage, Da!Jra.

CiJS9 fixed with reQQd to the daUv tankt ,nla;Jhbt d\lch it ~~tJS

clalmod et~uld bo ecGI$)lcted 1n four to flva hcuro. 1 After the

cOC!plotion of this dolly tank the la!2:Nra~ had tho '11bl:rtr• to e

undal'tako ~ tUOfke

In ordoJ: to oamlns tho validity of thana clotma it is esoon­

tlel to analyao the dlfttll'ont footuras or tho wage ottwture 1n

Uta Qosom Uolloy toa plantations. foJem:»st aman;at t.hoso wee the

reot that the fo&mdetlans of the ca;e auucturo lay in thD intton­

turo oyotem. 9 Unttor thla oystem labOU! C?JSJO bound to the gorctans

to~ a pe~lod or 9 yoero on the basle of o flxad vote af payment.

~!DO~. es painted out earlm, the oogg.rote CBS& fixed not

tttto~ tho martcet msct\anlsm, but bV extro ecanamlc c~ule1on.

6 ~pmmise1QQ• '9J1t P• '89e

"' .IJlldu P• J8'J C~lfflthn, 814Clta• P• 299e

8 Gsrlfflt.he, mtestllit,t P• 299e

9 r~ dat&llG on tho neturo of lndonture evotem ooe Chapter le

• 119.

e; ven moro crucial mas the teet that planters, ln the pa~ 1od u~tan

tho lnctuswy Qfew repl.dly end bGc~ highly ol'gonloact, oleo mana­

Qed to build a mactVJnlem r~ controlling labour mDbUlty within

tho tee d1strlcte.10 Tho Indian Tea Aaeocletion ouccaaafully

enforced ~t. cane to be known o& the "wage agroemont0 (an egrea­

mant. betueen the employers them sal uoe) thlch functioned aa an

effective constl'alnt on labour mobU&ty. Unde~ tt\9 provlelons

or the "ega agreemont0 ove~:y employer aQl'eed not to pay letJuur

wages hlgher then those paid by his nel{lhtJours." ln other words

the "wage egreemsnt" ~sed unltormlt.y 1n wages onst dreat&cally

weBkenod tho pttJJSr of labaan to aacure bottu mages • GlJrklftg

condlttons.12 At tho earns Umo, tho planters through thou use

of oxua-legel outho~lty, ouccaoetuUy checked tho emsl'gence ot

any lebour organuotlon. '' Thla put lObour ln e ttuly hGlplooe

cuaa1t1on vla-a-vio the employe~o in tho teo gardens. tvan tho

Aoyal Coomlaslone thaugh not objsctlno to tho "wage ~ntn •

pointed out that na;or~cers suffer 01:11ng to tho eboonce of eny

organisation on their elde to countel'oct tha powerful canb1natlon

of thai~ omployare.a14

,o see Chcq)tere I and lu.

u Mm Se1AnN· 19J1 • P• l86.

t2 l-!8 have eboadv rofo~red to tho ctgontlemon•o e;rEuJnent" c.ttlch totally dep~t1ved the lob4ur of hie eb.Ulty to oaBk employmont in anottu3~ too go~den ovon undet tho SamQ terms. See ~hopter 1 u • P•

1' SGe Ctmptero IU and Ule

14 AAYM Fpm&op.lrm, 19J1, P• 396.

- 119-

Anothor lm;Jo•tant feoture was that the UJa99 payments ware

made under tUIO dlstlnct systems, ieo., ( 1) the twz!u end »c:rm

system, and (2) tho unit system. fne UJSges or tea gurdon

labourer& ware gcna~ally place-work earnings depending uPOn thg

quantity and quality or tha uark tvrnsd aut. Whethar e:cpraasad

in terms of a dally or e monthly wags, thay were contlnQSnt upon

the oacecutlon or a standard dally teste or a!l.l!1bt tho payment

Vor c#tlch UUl9 known ae ba&lgr. The labourer d1o completed the

full oWkh an each wartclng day of tha month was entitled to

~c.elw the ~r.onthly wage. 15 Only after completing the dally task

was e labaUMl' entitled to oun lkm monay. Hoi!JOvor, contrary

to tha claims of the industry, the latMJUl'are could nat hauo earnod

a oJ.gn1fJ.cant. amount through the tigpa earnln~e. The Assam

En,.ulry Committee ot 1921•22 eucproossd lts doubts 1n thJ.a rogerda

"There aro obuloua 1Sm1tetlona to the pooelbllitlee ot Jll$9.1

ea~:nlngs. fh9 rule of tha moJClmi.D offleleRCy ot the m1nlaull cost

holds good ln tee gardens as in other 1nduatrlos."'6 In 1946

Raga reported, that 0 ,\lca earnlngo constitute a verv small pwo­

portlon of the total each eornlnos of wortcera. l t moa taund

that evch earnings wore more in lndl+ownad ~dans, Glhlch aro

gansrallv ehort of lebour and thereforo offer moro .UCSI to

thai.r labourer e. 011

15 RALEG, 1921•22t P• )18 ~qyglCgmmlsa!pnt 19,1, P• '9'•

t6 HDLtC, 1921•22, P• ''•

- 180-

The unit system, a modifisd version of bapra and $lss;a

eyotom, ID88 o lato~ innovation. Undar this eyatom the payment

was made for eaCh unit of umrrc done Ulhlch, ln tho coos or hoolng

end pruning, was baaed an tha ona•anna unit end, 1n tha cess of

plucking, an the ana-plea unlt. 18

ona maJor fla 1n both these mmsos of mage pa~nt was

th9 fact that uhUe tha dally taste wus llr*ad mlth the fixed

mlnlmun etotutol'y ~:~ogo• the wlune of work per unit or par olEJ!ch

was dacldad by the amployers. Thlo mas concoded by 511' ttwrlea

Rlva! (o mambo~ of the select tanmlttee canatltutod by Ulceroy

Curzcn to go into ths c;uaet1on of csgas of tea garden labourers

ln Aaoam) dmn he polntGct aut that the 0 syetem of minimum wage.

rato was contingent upon tho condition of e dally teste, the rogu.

lotion of which is pt'ect1ca11y ln the hands or tha ~loyu.u19

Tho total 1nab1llty of labour to bargain because of their leek

of any organleatlon mas compounded by tho coiDJ)loto absence or

even a nominal lcgieletlve check on the regulation of tho dally

taotc. This gavo the amployers a free hand to usa the OeZAEA and

unit eyetem for exacting mmc1mllll work for a fiJCSd mln&miiD IIJOQS•

we knOUJ, for lnotanco. that through ttta embltrery uso of theu

eatraordlnsy powers, tho monaga~e 1n the tea eetates generally

asslgnnd so heavy a taak that tho labourers often took more than

one day to f1nlsh lt. ThlG wao revealed in Docembal" 1900 by en

18 RALg;~ 1921•22t P• J1a Bsxsl CSJMl.lsa!gn, 19S1t PP• S94-9Je

19 f!Q,G,a, 19D1, P• 12.

- 191.

inspection commlttoe chich reported on a Slbaoger tea garden,

nrram tho natute of tho lllOrk. •• cool leo, cepoclelly women,

would have to wnrec ve~v hard to earn a full tlMklt end e glance

at the bJ!)tl,JA bOOks w111 ohaw that lt 699fDS almost tmpaaolblo

for a great manber ot man end woman to be eblo to earn anything

like a full day' e pay. The nunbal' of fractt.onal !!.Ql&Aa to~

exceed the full one. 020

~roovar, tho belcnco wao furthor lllGlghted ln favour of

the planters by the fact that lt was left to menagoro to d&ter­

mlna ultether the lobourore had dona tha full day' e wortc. Ttla

civil ourgaon of Sibsagar district observed from the gordon books

ln 1999a "it may be noticed that e oystem of ~rtor hezjrAI

eaeme to have been started. Thle m9ans that bccauee tho manager

dacldeo that only a quster has basn done, only a qUarter of a

full day's salary la to bD pald.n2t SlmUorly, regarding e

pertlculo» month, ho eopartedt "hectlonel JJa&kA!, preponderate

1n this month and not a single full wage has bean earned by men

and only one by a I!JOIDen."22 There ware few labourers in 1899

dto earnnd thair full bm;!U..2' Sir Charles Alvaa. efte

exemlnlng oome or tho garden booke remart<od, "the practice or

ot,..lctly enforcing tho daily teBk and of keeping dawn the labOur

20 lbl.du P• 110.

21 1b!da.

22 Mkk

2' AJWJAt P• 111e

• 182-

bUl by metnmJ or ~actlcnal hoJld, that ls, of paying half Ol"

throe 'lUIJrtors wogeo foll short tasket has grotliA of late y~e.1124

Clearly, doily teak flxad by tho mOM~re was oxceoslve ond 1t

waa ons of ttm mDjor cor-19laint:s of labourers ln o lattc;;e mDbar of

otr1kea dl1ch toOk place in tho Assam Vellov gaudans during ttte

late 1930s. 25

Tt\a wage data published in th9 onnusl offlclel repOrte,

do not reflect any o1gn1f1cont wago d1fVerantlot1on. This mae

Tho Royal tommlaslon tormad ito efftmta as "stenderd1setlon."

"tach planter fixes hla oelfl piece rates, but 1n eo doing, rogard

is pald t:J the ag:SQttQnt etr1vod a~ by the Commlttoo 1n Ol'der that

the ~~mqca of hie cmploVGee may not ~ eppreclabl v hlgt\al" than tho

• agreed lowl.n26 Anot.her foetor t'14&pans1ble for thla mas tho

statutory m1n~ flxsd meos raton under the indenture aysteo.

rtnally, the labau~ intenslue teo plantation 1ndun~y ut1lla1ng

limited tachnology did not generate a wldo range of apec1al1ea-

t1on that aauld ~aqulro uerlous levels ot sklllod work att1ch ln

turn mwld havo atfectod the ouwture oV ~:Sagao.

rtovarthelees wlthln this "otandardlooo" or "uniform'*

tramaUJOtk thoN waro uu1ett.ons, though vary 11m1tod1 ln wage

&"atoo ttotcson Act and Non-net latmurero, end botQJSen men, UJOman

24 lb!du P• ?J.

25 for dotalle eas &hapto~ ua.

and chUcJron. In trm can of thO Act ones Non-not labourers thO

off1c1e11y published statlG~lcs show higher fiqureD far thO

latter.27 Tho off1e1al explanotlonn fa~ this era thO followlngt

( 1) thot the non-Act labOur llJC!s heo labour, i.e., they ~e

oat.tller working cs Act labaurette Mdt ofu-r t.t1a o~lty of thelt

conuact, ttmy ~o-emplo~tt themaelvoa as nnn-Act lnbaurerea Ul)

contUtlons an tho plante\lons, thny were employed An batte~ pald

Jom;28 end (Ui) l»ing nfloeo lebaurero", tho non-Act workore

controcted thOmcelvoa untto~ ACt x111 of 1BS9t because ttwy zrc­

celved 'bonu!JSs' amounting to RD. t2 1n tho cesa of man and If!. 10

for women for each veu of ongagemsnt. 29

A.K. ~as eeems to have accepted thooe eMPlenatlons ~ether

uncrltlcolly. rno ~llcotlon of this le f~ ~eaching. It

lq)ltoe that the wegaa ond living c~ruu tlans of non-Act leboUJ' ln

tho Asaom Uelloy toa plan~atlono \ll91'a botter then those af Act

leboure Thlo could be cited eo an axplanat1on fol' tha l.ncl'oaso

1n ~lovmsnt of nan-Act laba\11' and the a !raul tansoua dealJ.na ln

the strangth of Act labour. Ou~ dicagreoment with such aJ&Plana­

tlons ~seta on the followlng arg&eante: h'hlle tt\9 majority or Mn-A.ct labour hcd bean contttactad under Act Kl U of 1659, ana

has to ksep in mlnd the Voct that no provlsions0 evan nominal,

27 see baloa section 1 u. 28 1\leum.,.L.etmnLJ!fSJU• 19D2.0)t P• &e

29 A,§ISJ.obotm tfGIPAd• t90te P• '•

- 184-

rmro macro fo~ anv kind or labour WDlferGJ or protection in thlo

Act. on thO contruv, as pointed out carlle~, lt"Jb0\4' utae bomfad

to tho gardl!lns fo• long per lade end canuolled by panel la\iJS

Jwt as Act loboUl' ClltlSe e:to,oovor, tho trotter paid Jobs trero

aualleble only in the tee tactor.lse cl1ero &lightly hlghott 1owlo

of atcUl wotto NQiirede According to ono authorltatlvo estlmata1

of tho total la!JoW force in a etendard eho tea gel'don only tO

pol' cent wao CJrnl'loycd ln tho too factory. JO Obutouslv thtl bultc

of the mm-Aet lobaw could nnt have been GmDloyed in mmh ~tte~t

paid Jotm. Hare lt ie GIOJth montlonlno egaln that the nan.-Act

labow wan lncrooa1ng vary fest emS after t918•t9 there 1!18& vi~

tually no Act labour in Assam VallGy toe plentatlons. lt ls

.impol'tant to note that ln terms of m:tual parformence of U»tk en

The dae1 tno 1n ttm employment of tlct leb~l'Ol'S wao duo to the fact

that not vl of t9Dt (under cttlcn moat Act lebourora wore contrae­

ted) wee no longor ea uaoful to the eoployer becouaa by tWO lts

panel proulslons uero abolished." And finally, sG reon~dS tha

'bonua' wo haw al~eadv attown that thle was nothing but a:duancee

~len CiON ClEJaucted lato~ en out of the monthly ~;eo or the

lo~are. In teet the 'benw• ~o o meana of' 1m2abttng the

lebourore to thai&- cmplove~s end since they could NJt pay bade

c.n. ttorlcr, TbsM!Mf. Wlf!.J1AAJSM1nyt Tsa (Oxford Unlvoreltv Pcosa, 19~6 , 2nd edn., P• 64.

" For dDtoUa ooe &~ter 1111 PP•

- 189-

than advances oosUy It t'u.ftt\0~ Pl'olcnQed thai" bondata. ' 2

Tho vatletlon bBtW~Wn men•s, WQmSn'e and chllcfron's maQUs

mas totaUv orbJ.t&te~v end dlau1m1Mtcry. women and chUdren uere

paid leas than cr.on. Reasons VOl' this ware nawr glwn. Tho hours

Welnan, merocvar, pcwVormed mtJSt typos of C~Dl'k dons by men Uko

hns1ng, p~unlng etc. In fact c:mman loboura~e even epoclolload ln

plucking and thab nunber f#0.9 felrl v ltll'ga. In peatc oooson, lt

eJBS ootlm8tod, rme~ly 00 pee cent oP the lebourera el)JO wamon who

c;ere MQBgSJd ln pludcing thS loawe. '' GGeldcot thare Emo no

ccmpleiftte either 1n the offlclol roPGrte or ln official hiatorlee

and ITA reports of ucrnon pe~formlng losa uDrk compo~d to mon.

BoelcJee tts tecttnlQuae of production ln the tee plentatlana did

not uruserp any redtcel choogas entS there mas 1\a:rcSlv mv dlfferen-

tli3Uon of etcllle ~i.ch eould osepleln the varletlon b9t.l!ltlan male

and female letwur WDtkad on &lmilor typaa of Jobs of lom eklllo

and for tho oams number or ttouro lt cuould epponr that prmsuctlvltv

par unlt or male en~ female lcboura~ did not differ elgnlflcantly.

TtwreforG, lt cwama that the variation b9tC!P7len male and female

wagaa was created purolv on the boola of conuontlcnal wlwo or

soJWal dloc~lmtnatt.on. As tor tho affects of thla dl&et-lmlnotcnry

pollcy1 the low &"Bte ot wages f~ wamsn end ehlld:en eorwd to

J2 seo Ch3ptera Ill and au. SlmUOl? type oft bDndaQo thro~ the evstom of edusncoo, cubaidlsed rations, land Qrants ftm private cultlvntlon eleo prevailed 1n tm Ceylon Toa Planta­tions. FoJ.J o dotaUod otudy osa u.K. lflyaUJ•dana~ 11.otzeuB. ttamM.Un.tpgltm (t4cmth to~ollm1 '9'72), thapter on Plantation clorkora.

' ' Kuler, llh&l&" P• ''•

• ,96.

cfSDrooa the ovotl\11 avaea;o ttato of wsges. Tt\9 loWOl'lnQ of ~ge

~etee through svch dlf3Clll!31nct1on QOG c:ettalnly ot very oignlfl­

cant ma;n1twe CDnsidetlng tha f6lct that tha emplovment or vmmen

end children comblnad, t1t10 ptoper-tionntely hlpt than tmt of

man (SMt Teblo 5.1).

Cl'anta of lend Da(fQ by mananere, fo~ privata eultivatlon by

lcboUl'ore, ecs cnnaldotod to be an lmportent 'ecneGaolon' Ghlch

supplamon\Qd th8 earntfttla of lctmurere. J4 Aoat of tho labOUr to­

P01'ts ttUOarkcrd that GUdona with plenty of cultlvablo lend aem

'populer' with le~. The ttoyol tommlHlon r0~~ked• 0 Thtl garttan

w:otker ln eeoontlolly en ogtlculuist1 end hlo ®elro for tho

pouesolon of a holcUno wttlch hB can oultlvato wlth tho l'ltalp of

ttle ~o of hlo famUy ls great•"'' ~vare thO leDa&ttara

etto mare 9ft'Atsd ouch lando• had to pay rent to Uta gerdaRD• And,

ohilc lt le buo that oueh lando «i9l'' granted by t.ha plentetts to

thou labour forco tor tholr private cultivation, tho CAtlw

cleimad ore euspDct. Sael~es. whether cultlvottcn of cueh lands

elgnltlcnntlv contribUted tOI!lattdo tho oxua oarninue of lc!)DUPers

ttae to ba cmltlcallv examined.

r&ret of ellt moat of ouch g:anto wu~o ccndltionala the

lebaurer hsd no accupancv rt;ht ovar ewh land and tl9 could hold

lt onlv eo long ea ho perro~mod latmu~ An t1te teo ~dan·" The

" i\exa& r.e&nalon· '"'. P• JD4.

TAU S.t

Total Numbal' of Ken;~ woman1 Chlldnn Lobourero (on ttw S!~on bc*a) Estatos ln LetchimDw1 SltmaQar cmt oar~eng Dbt~iets

inToa

~ !i b !S&SI I suaaae.E RUE IDS llfon ucmn tttUctten Total Aotlo Ron women thlld~en Total Rotlo Ran women ChUdcsn Total RaUn

Veu (000) (m!O) (OtJO) or cal. or col. (000) (OllO) (QUO) of col. af (OOo) (ono) (01\0) or col. of col. ,,4 s to 2 e & 9 col. 1M 14 ,, to 12 (000) (OnD) 10 to 1 (000)

1 2 ' 4 ' 6 7 9 9 10 ,, 12 ,, 14 15 16

19)4 74 60 21 81 1.01 61 ,, 19 12 1.09 21 ,, , 22 1.04

19JS 74 58 22 eo t.oa 66 so t9 Tl 1.16 20 ,, 10 27 '·'4 19:56 " 61 21 02 t.to 64 57 t9 76 '·'a 4t J4 9 4J t.06

19)7 19 60 21 Ot t.ov 62 56 19 7!; 1.21 J8 's 9 44 '·'' 1930 74 61 22 SJ '·'' 62 56 19 '7S 1.22 sa )2 9 41 t.09 19)9 7) 6) 22 as t.t6 65 57 20 " 1.10 58 " 8 41 t.to 194D ?6 66 2) 07 t.14 65 57 21 28 1.20 J9 '' 9 42 1.01

1941 ,, 61 24 OS t.t6 56 ;s 20 ., 1.29 50 2'1 7 )4 1.19

1942 '19 62 29 8'1 1eG9 60 56 2S 19 t.)2 34 " tO 41 1.20 194) 68 6) 25 88 1.29 sa S9 21 so 1.51 ,, ~ tO 44 1.24

1944 69 6D 2) 8' 1.27 ss ss 19 74 '·'' " 34 tO 44 1.25

1945 6) S5 21 16 1.20 96 64 21 es t.S2 J6 '' tO 4J t.ta t946 Ntat Available r:nt Avallablo Rot AvaUable

194? 69 ;s 22 11 '·'' 62 SJ 20 n .. ,, :56 " 11 42 1.16

scwrco • AQDUQ! Oo?l'W an Ym. wmdea a£ tbq..Ifj~!ct.r.m.&gqQ& !s"bour ~(XXII of t9J2) tar ~eapoct&ue ,earo.

-188-

lend could be tf:fcen baCk on °dlsc1Dl1na~yn groundrh ' 7 Scecm!ly,

urhJle net overv leb!luEGI' recolvad laftd far privata cultluotlan, the

el&o or holdings gluen, was wuallv wrv small. A atu&tv of th9

number ot adult labDur (osttled) end total area held by tttam as

tenants of th9 tea eetotes ln T ablo '•2 Ghom9 t.twt in LGkhimp~

the ewrcgo land granted Pel' momer mae loss then t/J or an SCJ:ee

In Slbsagu it fluctuated t»teaen !Gas than t/4 of en aCN to loss

than 1/J or en ecre, and 1n O~l'OftQ bettussn leeo than 1/2 of en

OC\le to leea than 1/4 or en aero.

rram the lil:llted evlc2anctt avai1eble1 sa havo t1' lad to Clll)ftc

out tt\a e:Jp~oximato mm10y ualua or ttm total produce ~om such

hold~s. Tho tne~~lrv tommltteo af '92t•a2 esttmatod that bobleen

tS to 20 maundo of paddy peJ1 acre may ba taken eo a fair amount or

tho crop in a naeal va&r• '8 ror our pu:poeas, wa shall taka both

th9 hlgh9st end tho loooat f1Qure. Tho mal'ket pries at untwsked

rice tor the ,081' 1921•22 eas on an ovaraqo quoted ot llt• 2.69 em~

J9 maund. Tha total ualuo of ercp par cere tor ona yeer t.hmn emrko

out to P.!e $,.so (for 20 msuntto) end~ 49.3; (to~ t9 maunds), In

that pal' it ~as resmrted ti'Ult tho 1abcu1'ers as tcnente of' tM tea

estates hold J~1»8 ect~9 of lend in Lekhimpw1 t910t2 ec~os In

51baegar and 9,1DJ ocro 1n oa~~eng. 40 CQ21lp?J~a4 to t.hle thoro UJrG

J7 ;lAL£.y t92t•22t P• 24.

)8 AA!d·· P• 2J.

J9 1Im )\msuUuJAl alat!diAA pf §g!.tlo!! ln!Ut• '921•22t Vol. 1. This tlgu:o reprooontcd tho Pl'Ovinclal evatta;G•

40 Rs.J&, 1921•22, P• 2J. Those flQurGs also inl:lwe tho acreage hald in thm eub-diviaions ot oach d1etrlct.

TABLE ~5.2

Year LAKHIMPUR SIBS AGAR DA.RRANG

Total Number Area held Total Number Area held Total Number Area held of Adult as Tenants oiJ Adult as Tenants of Adult as Tenants Labourers of Tea Labourers of Tea Labourers of Tea

Estates Estates Estates (Acres) (Acres) (Acres)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

1934 133,868 39,227 119,708 25,956 38,787 . 18,857 1935 132,529 39,797 123,656 35,162 37 ,'Z76 19,494 1936 136,625 39,004 121,441 34,498 75,415 16,628 1937 135,245 38,703 117,369 35,437 72,840 17,789 1938 134,853 40,748 117,959 36,795 69,396 17,308 1939 136,376 38,929 121 ,623 38,386 70,825 18,813 1940 139,481 38,914 119,906 38,729 71 ,4~) 18,174 1941 133,862 42,455 108,1 'ZT 41 ,011 57,309 21,590 1942 141,148 39,412 115,899 40:,566 64,958 21,930 1943 131 ,316 45,355 116,924 40,98~ 69 '198 21 ,681 1944 125,012 37,230 109,963 40,178 69,728 23,840

Source: of the Tea District Emi ant or respective years.

-190-

t2o,e021 1191155 end 69,999 edult lemurore ln Lctd,lmpur, Slb!lDgMt

ancJ oerraft0 caspsctlwlv in thi» aa.-ne peg. 41 Ttm euorQOG holdlng

tharafore1 coma to bo loso than ana-thlrd of on ec~e 1n Lakh~ur •

little lcaa than onc-aouanth of en ecn 1ft Slbsogar Bnd about om-

elghtth of an oe~e 1n Dueang. ttm CC~Dblnnd avo~D;Jo tor ttrree

distelcta a=ko out to ~ ap~roxtmatelv ana-fifth of en acre per

labourer l.n 1921•22. Attor daductlng th9 voerl, rent (at the

~eta of~ t.ss p~ cere) tho approximate monev valuo of paddy

camas to a,. 10.44 (Vott the hlgttoat figure) onst ~. ?.on (for t.hO

l~at figure) por lotJourOJI dutlng tho COI'IaepontUftg veer. tl2 Col•

culatad in youlv everogoo, lt ropreaonted atmut t2.7 ps~ cant (for

hlghaat VlgUNs) end 9.46 ps~ cont (tor thO lowest flgurea) of tM

yaerlv ~ of en ecfult labourer OGI'Md 1n t92t•22 ( thlm evorago

represent& ell throo dlot~leto).

Hoi!Jlvar, thcoo flpee eaMot ba accgpted a' thsb foco valuo

es roprost.~nttng roal oxUa 1.n:omo tor u.s Vollatdn; reasons. rust­

lvt the lebouro~ rocoivad no GlSgOG chllo engaged ln thab CUin

41 Supplemnnt to tM ,!wUran TJ:Pdt'LltWSA9lt 1<nt. Thsso f'lguroa f\ZJU3 bean morkod cut eftor r:odue1ng 19 pol' cent1 16 po~ cant end tJ QO&' csnt for Lakh!u~ur, Slbaaga~ and Darang rospectl• uelv hom tha original 'iouras of totol labour torco o1von ln tho above jG\IrC04t · ttw ~oaoon f01' dalng co ore tha follol!Jlngt (1.) SG$)arato f.t.gurao for adult end eh11d letmtm Go not svat­lelo for the p~lod tCJOO.t9)J; (it.) r~= t9M tto Controller

~ of tmic)~antLpUbllt\rod aapetato flguros of adt.alt end Child la~ SJl'91oyod in each dlatrtct. In thaao figures the child latmw fm'mod ev!ll11aga t5 pe~ cant, t6 poL' cant and tJ paL' cent of tho total lotJOw farce. Givan ttto tact &hut tharo was no dl'amatlc ctvsnae ln tho cmtto~n o9 letmur cq,loymont ln tt\9 tea dletatcts wo haw woo thle L'Gtlo tor ttto y~ t92t-22.

42 Tho tnqubtf Cclmm1ttce of 1921•22 reJH)rtGd t"at genorallv o nam1nal N ·~ =o cmrgad but ocono:nlc ronto up to ~te. 6 on acre U~G~o not UIICROa.A• f~ tammlttoe esttmatad that the s~~ cant of e,. te99 (prov1no1al auattotJ)) was pald by tlvJ lebo ..tr~o. M.l.l£, t921•22t PP• 2,_4.

. '". cultivation blc•• trw eoncopt or 1•~ "'"' pay (ewn on Qmdar)

dld not his\ in ttte gedlfte. '' ,,_.,o•• the oaoe• tonoone ought to e. deduotect. Secondly, u. da$1ctlon ot thl cost of eeeda

tdll futthQ 101ft the flP•• The £nquS.1 CGM!ttM of i92t-22

did not accept the ugant that ,,. Cllh value ot ••• eo tailed

ft&lld be consldeted ea e •canoee.SOn.•4t

Thau;h ,.lvate cultlvaUon dld not oanwltute el~Jtlflcantly

towerde "• total ·~ or tM labour force ln thl , .. of

oonatently decUnlno ~•d •ue• labauleta• dlptnctance on euch ltftd

fo~t eutvJ.vd &ncnaaed. Thia feet, •or• "'*' eny"'Sng •1•• per­

hapa hPleU. the •populerltr• or gedlne dth plenty ot culUVIble

land fJDOft9 labcunll• '' re , .. plant~•• the g~anta ot lend m ptlvato cultlvaUon -.. • tue'"'• J.naUulltaftt ot oonttol ove•

lebadt ond ma8 lebaul•~• taCCept thoU grenta of land W11!o ettJ.n-

ten\ ecncllUona 111\toh • haft ekeady •W•d abOVe. Tho Royal c~ ..

don, lihUe ••'•~'•ln9 to thle c-olnt.ed ou' •••• .SUUon tot ptlvate ltftlt

if •Uafl.adt •uld ,..,. dlelte tu Qltdln -*• and 1ft tNt ell~

Mnt of -• land fat ptlvate culUvatSon, tM plont.o• hal thin-

'' the total NDtJn or lend pant• ;lvan by thlt pl.,ma to th8U letlaure1a fa. p1rlvata cult.lvaUan &ncna.- ovu the vee• (­Tabla Se2). Rag~~ r-=tad u.a' 1ft 1941 eboU\ 16,1000 eana of ltftt •• held w gerden IIOttca~• eo tanente or tea eautaa. Rcaga1 m.s&t, P• e.

• ten.

tcme, to studv hla own lntoreBta aa t:191l ea of tm ~lko~e.n46

fho rolo of ot.har •CMtCCoslona' llko •enmua• t eidc CS1a' and

eutJol.stonco ellomanees otc. &n aupplomantJ.ng canlngs fino eboady

b3on doalt wlth. 47 An ~tent ploco of lnta~matlon thot u;o may

8l1d hofl) Sa, that mast at the rsporto publlehlng the wags etetla•

tlca &nclwed the equlwlent monoy ualuo or such eoncsaolons 1ft

the W3fP tlgwos (b!Jte?Sen t900 end '9Jil). 49 After th9 pasolno or

t.tts fsa OlGtJict &migrant Labour Act (JOtU ot 19J2) manv of thoao

'concesa1otm1 CJOro no lanaor cbltoawv aM tf\a annual rGDQJtte of

tho Controller or £mlgrsnt Leba\e polntod cut that tt'.o maJority

ot tho gm:dans did not oups:»ly olttunt rlco ar paddy ct ouba1dle9d

l'atea.49

Tha plantore end tha1r apologists often Catlf)loined that

lebo~# 1n tho toa garctana dlcJ not raopend fovcvzably to hlgho•

coogao. ~ 1\!lw earlier Cl'JOted qulte o fct1J Buch complaints. ftmss

coq,lelnto c:ere ladQt!d ln dsfonea ot tm»1l' oppcmitlon to any demand

o• auggoeUon for ~ lnc-eeaseta. fluctcl.ngtta:n, th9 repro~ntatluo

ot toa lntereou ln tho Log1Gl&Uva Council Oj»poaad the PIOSSQGSd

1ncftlOSB ln waggo en the fcllomlng gvoundoa "An 1ncltoascd tata ot

payemnt loads to a hteaatt &auk lnatelld ot en OUQumantod task, thO

ccwU.ao to'clnQ out ttm balcnco, oo to epoe, ln th9 cmly torm ot

46 !laval Gorpm1Won. t9S1t P• S94.

47 Seo Chaptof lu.

49 rar doleU9 GOO mlOiD, eectlan u.

49 f\tpSL. ftU. ( KKII of 19,2) t t9Ht P• 9•

luJWJV wtlleh eJ]Cieale to en Aalatlc via. • tM luXUJ'y ot olttlng

otW end daing nothing. o5D

va havo akooctv cltecs evidence 111\leh rsf\tte the abOve alle­

gation (Chccata• Ju). fhs V!ndlnfJa of ttuJ tnquiry tammittoe, t9D6,

also shoe~ hom baoelooa ttm09 Cf2t1'4tla1nta cuato. This Ccr.alttao

~d fl'JOt!t ot tho racruitlng and tea diotrlcto cncs mat.to onqublo9

t~am various oitmoaoo. Aeong thalr mltmssos 1.n tccvulttng 418-

trlcta M!re the ~~e of colllorl~Uilt local lebmB atJ;Jnto, Cttrte­

tian mlaslanulee, local offlalals end mol'Chonts end ftGa convac­

tol'e• A largo numbar ct theso witmosoa B{P!Gad r:ogudlng tho ln.

ettecp£Cy of ~os ln tea plcntatlona and ths lncreeelng atz;~ot1tlon

hom otftat lnduatr&Ga. we QWte e tem of the witnaesos intctvleumd

by tho Cammlttoal tte manaQOt of Rsasol'e Apt~ end ComQeny'e Collte­

rleo end ZQQtmsartcs in tho Burdaon dlowict oald that lebou~ lft

m!mo earned hCD ~. '5 to Fl!)• 20 o mnth 8ftd sas p~ldOd hoo tmu~

intJ end lend fo~ cultivation end that O'JJ.tng to lncraaalng campetltlan

f~ labour thf)y hod to lnct~case G:aS09• 51 A eocand ~:~1tnooo Bebu n.~.

9an, 0 lobotm agent 1n R enlganJt pointed out that, long cft.matlon at

contrec:t and netglctlons imposed unde~ epac1el Acts wore tm aaJOt'

nstlans for the c.nnUlln;noas or labour to go to Anet!m tea gucJena. 52

Anuttmr eltnnso, o fNO mnt11sct01' In RanlQonJ eaid th:lt, if tho

pay \1189 rolaad tltom ea. 5 to ~ e ~ montr., more lamwers usoulcJ oo

• 194.

t1J AeGat:t toa 9attdafttt• 5' TCJtt of the thrletlan mg,tonatloa sso1ntod

out t.Mt1 owSDa Uke folaa promisee or hl~r gagoo ems arong

pel'aW.l!J.lve msthocm eo~o ot.lU provalont and that ~e in cthe~

eftlu and local iftdustrloa mttn much hio""r tttan trnJoe ofr~ed in

Aaaam tea aarann. 94 T .c. MaG;Jtmrcon, ~iftt Maglabato of Renchlt

po.lnted aut thet. local leb~w wan lneronatnt}ly golng to thooa plecce

for cq,lopant dlare thoy got batto1' tnatmtzlnt end ttlgttor tlltl;ee. A

~eat many of tho leboutora alto aero taken to nasem had bsen cfOcolvod.

Aany of thsm oa~e given ttm Jmproooton tha' tttay entre tsolng lekan to

Duars, but d\Gn tttay got to Ren1QanJ and foWtd out thou mioteke thGy

VJ9ro ttweatanad bV thO cnnuector•a touts, ond torcad b go to Aonem. 59

Tf\o Oeputv Comelsaloner ot Aanbtus:t dld not consJdal' that .,the Pl'OBGnt

wa;ss ln Assam ere outflclent to ettreet. psa,le ftom here.056

In tblo c:ontoxt tho finding& of the ERQU1ry Cocmt1ttoe or 1906

msre ~evaoUna. S? Ttm tnqulty Commltteo found thata "paot»le could

nat regard AQ8Bil'l, a"" tl\oy etUl do not rogud lt, as a cSG&lrable

ploc:o for tho eml~ont, when ttm motttoda eo long l't!ltiO!Jted to '•

9J Jb&d& Similar Ol)inlan asas a~roosd by a msremnt and bantcel' or RontganJ Bnd Oddad tho' lt the pa~lad or cont•ect t2as re­du:mt to ono yo~ lt wUl att~act mom lab!stm t~ tea gordon. an Aeoam. Jbl!Je• P• ? •

54 J.hld•• PP• 12•)•

59 Abklu P• 1&.

56 Abldu Ct• 29.

,, HALtS. t9D6, PP• 1&-J'•

• 195.

~oeurlng hAm cero euch aa to etoato taeliftg or rovulelon ln the

mind ot ovary ttlght-thintclng man. It I.e tmposalblo to &JCJOCt that

public oplnton t8Q8tt1lng tho eounuy ettould cllangg maroly with tho

peaalnu of o nom Act, moro aepactolly \!~han in ttm course or loglela­

ticn thot tontc pleco cnwh rnm said to canfl.rm tl\13 belbt In tte

unttosbebUlty or Aoaom. That too opCJOaltlan ot tha toa 1ndUOby

to tfta rlsa 1n CJSQ&G ~lch had teen pr~sd in 19011 told at~cmgly

against Aoaam 1n recruiting dloblcta, can bB fathered haD th9

preval.MC9 or the oplntnn that tm tea gordOn mago Ae too low.

Thia bOllaf Is ehared by ottlclele end non-otflc&ale al1ke.858

Tha Royal Corr.mleolon also dld not agroo wlth the ellegatlon

that amkgra cUd not roapDnd to en increase 1n qeo and thot1

lnatoad at ra1slno hle standard of llvtn;, ho GJaa contont to do

leoo mork it he c:ould eun enouQh tor hle bare aubsbtence. 59 Tf\o

omplovora ln tha Too Plantatlono put forcard e tNJory of u.ilat ODuld Q..

bD callod today 'baekluard blJ'dlntJ Olt2;)1y CUl'UO of labour• tor the

alnele ~a.con thot lt aas not wsgo lncontlue ~lch thay wad to

malnte1n (u t.nuoesa) productivity or lebowt but cGrni)ulalons

end re&trelnte or varl:sw ktmts, lnclUdlng physical eoo.-clcn (eae

ChQPte~ lu). Thl9 1s o factor to 1m bOrfto 1n mlnd J.n conalda~lna

58 ltaldu P• J2e

• 196.

II

In thle oocUon w shell =ttlcally SU!WV tte aourcs mate­

r181 end tho qUGntitatlvo data on ur3~8 ln tho Asoam ualloy tea

QUdsns. Tho most iqaortent aauft» or infoJ"matlcn 1D tho annual

r:ePG~te on the em!Qeant lebourinc put»llahed by th9 Couat'rmont of

AS881J tUl ''''• Vrom 19J4 Oftl!Jardo Uui!as ~sports Q113N P\lbliehect

by thO otflco of tho conaolla~ or Emigrant Letacw tm.l.ch hod boon

conaUtutad unttor thB Teo DSstvlct £migrant La~w ftot KXU or 19J2. 60 Tneae raPOrto c:ontalflnd1 aport ~ othGl' information

rcgarcstno th9 emigrant lobouf in tho proulnt:e, tho flgurea of ave­

raga monthly eemingo of d1ff'eront ceteoorles of letmuratto 1n

VSl'ioUD tea dlaUlcts tor oach pu. ror cucaq,le1 firstly thoro

Bt'O ccpGrato figurom or auatte;o mnthly e9nlnQo of mtm and amman

under th9 category of Act labtlurue. 61 ln tam second cotego!'y

camo too auorage CQnthly e=nlnga or Non-Act lob:narero eith oopaJato

flguroa fcm mon1 QOmtln end children ln oeeh dloblet. 62 tflth the

"C)sol of net XIII of 10S9 1n '925 end Act Ul of 1901 in 19'2 tho

obovo tm catogorles disappaarad. Vrom 19M cmoartJ, mmn tho naUJlv

61 All those UJh3 had batJn conUoctcd under &am Lab?-\!!, MA lmmM!AA&M ,n;,s, UJ pt 22DJ. Cllll'a calloct Act let=nare. Th9 cage tlgwes for thlo categol'y ware given only upto t910.19. eacauao efter that yeott then mas no e-.oro Act labnur ~ omploymonte

62 All thoso letunwere du) ~n not canttoctcd undal' Act Ul o9 1901 cw more CIOstly employed unde tt\9 WD£!fln'p B§,aeh at 'QD&!.!&t. eqt. aUl gr 19l2 t10~a lnc1U6ed 1n this catopy.

• 197.

poosad Ta9 O!mtJAA.\,i.,mJsuot J:aa)Mw;. Ac' (JCXII of '9J2) came into

effect, th3 ms;o fl9U1'ao ao1e publiahad untter tw dlfferant cato­

go~ieo vu., sattled lobCMI and ftllW av &J<'Ul\1. lobOute 6' Undo•

both theao eat~lea everago monthly oago flguroe ot man, C!JQtDCn

end children U~Um publloti'Jd aep!matelv f~ eoch dist~lct e~y

V&ret w et\all discuss tho mstttodo of collootlcn end CODP1•

latlon of urn;o atet&atlcs of the llct emf Non-Act cotog~lGee We

etotioUcal infomotlon ~'tad bsen oriQJ.naUv oampllcd bV thO dla­

t~lct cfflcltllo out of the e~~e rotUfl\3 eutmlttad by tt\9 plenbln

to tho govornmont. Th9 d&atrlc:t orflclalo GOI'fcod out owroga

mnnthlv earnings or oactt category of labatn fol' each dlotrlct ttcm

ttwso coturna to bo pu~lemd ln tha annual ""ort&e At thle

point thol'G to en J.mpo~tent c;uaatlon to bo eettoda to rmst extent

cso tf\t)ea tlouroe rer~110sont thO cctual ea~~ ot the lebow force

in tm tee gBt'cSens? l\ppoflon\lv tho ~ulee of loboUJ lC19 had bean

otricUy rollOiDOct• aut e closw ecmatlny of ttl9 methods ot calloc•

tlon and ccmpl.lotlon of the \!JDQO atatlGtleo attocm msjcm fila.

malting ttwlr ec~aov h1gtt1 v suspect.

In tho first plcce, ttto dlot~Jot officials carlPUed tha

evsragea aut of tho etatlotlcal lnfo:rmatlcn sutrD1tted by the plaA­

to~o s1thout anv oyatllm of a.sca»te1nlno their Gccamecv even ch:Jn

lt gao meU knci!ln that ttm lottor often did not provlf:Se correct

6J Vha tefm 1oattlcd1 rotonad to thO parmonsntly employnd lebaur and 'MW.' or •.tmat!' to tho ~rsy labalA' force.

• t90-

lnformGtloft. 64 Thought it cz:ae a violetlcn of Ura pttoulo1on9 at

laboUr laws ttta gove1tnmant MVft ~p1'1mamtad ttm plantar& to•

concs.allng th9 actual esrnifu}s of lsbauraro omt fe proulcJlng

Inflated tlg&moa. Nor was any attempt mau to eetabllsh any

gowJtnnant agoncy Ultl1c" could caUact thla lntormatlon lndepen­

ctantlv a~ ~G;ulEJJ'ly GhaGf4 t.ho cccurac~ of tho co~ne autnlttod by

plontuo. S!mller altuatlon e•lat.Qd llllth toga~tJs to the data on

vital atotletlco eancorning ttm tea gardfln lotxltlr In the provlncoe

Tma planters outJ:>lttad etotlstlc:al 1nformot1on regal'dlng tha deaths

ot latmure£tD tn tmlr raopaetlva estates. This informetton as

often nDt c:o21t10t (ao ea shall ehott loter) but, oa tJ\9 Contl'aller

of tmtgrant LebDw odmJttod1 tho~e taa.o no QOUO'fft!Dant csgancv fa1'

tho eeglmatlon of buttta and dsntho in t9a garcJsnae 65

Bf)aldes, tho plantera sullm1ttad ttto raturna ln en Ol't)ltfuy

enamor. ftm example, upto t90S.C6 the umga ratwnSJ wan eutmlttad

onl~ fer Uta lost el• mantl'\9 of ttl9 ,atn. ThsMfo~o, tho )9atly

ovsl'ago of the monthly oarnlngs can e&lculatod on the basls of

leat aix =n~' ntwna and ~t em tha bsolo at twelve monUta' 66 ec•nln;s. Thlo mas ospoelollv oJaloadtng bacmsa the loot eb

months ot the yacr lncl~ed the paak nason oV GJDrk cturlng d\leh

tho cornlnga ot letm~e rJSre hlgttar c«npaNd to tho oloc1c pel'J.o4.

64 ~&on 't?AAIS• t9D2, P• '·

69 Goum7nmant ot Asaam, Gomrol ond .ludlclol Dsputment, lmmt. graUon Brat!ch Bt Rose 12?•S9t 5epte1<lbor, t9J4t P• 20.

• t99.

ar&Q t90S.06 U'fla p~a:tleo was dlacard9d. flow the ~3rlv evarep

of mnnthly eunlngs ~ra GOrkect aut on thO baole of only ttao mnnths1

tlgureo l•G•t f.4m:d1 end SE!ptomts~. Tttls pract1CO GDS toll~ both

Sn c:sae ot Ac' end Non-Act lobtlurue. Tha equmont ln dafence or

such a practka ceo ttwt flluch and 5optemm1' reprosanted ttse slack end p8tfc

J.pe~iofJS ~~actively. Thl9 again waa en arblue'y mothod. Mt\Ue

lt b Um that thooo tt= months taU ln tho elock ones paste par&ocs,

it csooa not nacoosmtrUy follOUJ ttmt the eamlngs o, ttta labourers

dur lng ttmSB teo montft8 GJGro aleo thO I bOat ontJ hl;heat ln ttto

tolnad. fm district offlclelo mara lnstruetocs to cfeotroy oll ttte

ottlglnal roturna ot tho qse Jmcedlately otter the eompllatlan ot

,eavly awra;a had men completed. 67 Tl\ua any posolbUlty ot a

etOSG examJnatlan of officially publlsMd ttmo euieo was oleo

aea~ovad•

There lo anotl\sr oroblem e1th tegsrd to tho occuracy of tho

above waga atetiatlco. Ttm planters• oupportore end como o~

off1cla1 repaJte clelmed ttmt tna labo\ll'fte supplemented the&~

caah carnln;)a throU{lh Slqpl. rmrk and othe., forma or cuneoa91arm

aolhlcn thoy mare reQUired to glvo untJal" ttte letawr logo. 69 Thie

6'1

68

Goua~ntnGnt of testo1'n Bengel Aeaem, OeJtartmcnt of tCPmDICG end lndunUVt 0 Proc:eed~St non. 556/JGDe May, 1909t P• 9•

Cttlfflthst pgec1tu Jtost of tho DJlD!!&A Hmuto pn t!m em: duptlon ae !p&Jn lmt!f!t eeyeA Gpmrn&;l.l\«m pn !JlJ!a.U£ AD JmU.at 1«»,, and tho planters' roprosentetlves ln tho Cenb8l Laglaletlva Council eu.tdo tmse cletms.

-200-

imDlloe that tt\9 l:llltlO rt.Quroa pu"bliehad 1n Assam Gowrment.•e annual

ta~rtG cJld nat rzopnoant ttua actual oa~lngo but onlv the each

oatnlngs a.cludlng ttto s~lemsntenv inucme. On tha canuet)'t hoo­

eVSlt, ell tha annual ropovta Oft emlgrzent letmur ln Assam, lnuo~lebly

pointed out that tho Cll8\lG Vl.gures rep1"8oentod 0 &Wl'OQB monthly cash

~a lncluctlng ,tlCSS!f aubalstenco ellowncae. value or dlot or

ration» provlded 1n llcu or maoas or oubslotenco eUo=ncas" ln the

COSG or n~Act letxJurera. StmUarly ln ths caso or Act lebolmere

1t UNJS pointed out that maga Vlgures rQ~Jrosantod "auerogo Em2ntt.ly

csah ca;os lnelucUng ellomencoo paid urnwr Seot1on t29 (1) and

t)D (lh value ot diet ln lieu or euch allot~ancas eftd ~atiaf\9 Plro­

vlded um!lil• Sso,;.on tJ4(a) end oleo lncludlng tlcca asmlnos•" More•

ovar, in eclfJltlan to tho abOve Vlguroe, eopatoto figure& of pav-

mant ea 'bOnus• ctJara put)li&tmd upto 1904-09 1ft tha ca89 or Act

lotnurero. 69 Thu9 lt ~aoro th3t thooa overage monthly c;ago

figure :a nprosented moo thtJn th9 eaCh earnings i.e., lt 11\clUdltd

the ualua or moat •coneoaslcns • the plan tot~& were suppomut to ttnvo

prov!dod tho lsbo&m toreo oa woll n th9 pstt-tlmo or CVOl'tlmo

oaJ:ningcs in ttm foJ:m oV .USS9 aoJk • '70

nm fourth d1trtculty ln dcatsrmlning ttm eccurocy or wn;e

etotistlca ulsea hoa ttm tmo dlffe~ont ®ta of flguroe publlshod

69 Bfgarna bm.QmtJ Jl9n91&t t900e 1904-0S.

10 Tho aapuote tigurso of paymant os 'bonuo• ore hiGhly con­f'ualng, oa, .m ou11Dtt polnted out, tho concept or bonue at tmlt timo ctld not exlst 1n Acsem tea lnclwuv.

- 20t-

under tho heading of •monthly ovarage eomingg' ln tho Aaeam

labaut reports. Both 88t8 or tlguroo 81'0 publlehsd untf0t turtlte»

su!W\aadlftQoo (o) calculated on the baais or total ~UDbar or labourers on ttm gal'dentJ bo~GJ (b) calculated an th1l mats ot

dally CJOl'tting o~engttt.71 The flQ\mOB In eat (o) were calculated

by dlvtdlng tho total W3Q8 paymont with the total mator ot lc­

tmurers en the bocks during tha above teD r=nthae And in the eesa

of oat (b) the figurgo '!1019 colculotod bJ d1v1d1ng thO totel e~ago

paynmnt tdth tm dally working aucnoth of ttm lob!:ur fol'co durlnQ

tho BDmO two months in each Jam'• Tm flgurea in sot (e) ere lomor

compared to tho fl{Juroe &n sot (b). But the l'OQ01'ts cUd nat matco

.lt cloor eo to whlch oct proaanted tho actwl earnlnge of the labour

force. llftd hem 1~5-26 onrJards ttm raporto anly publlehod the

tlguroe glven ln oat (b). Given tho fact that plantations e~rlen­

esd a w~y high reto of et»sontoeiem (eca ApDtJndix Table 1U) the

flt~ureo 1n oet (b) could nnt te taken es rop~sanllnQ actual eam-

1noa.12 Thoso flguroa oklply r:epreaanted what o lebDur would Gorn

.lf hD or ehO hnd wrated on ovorv aln;le day ot the month~

In 19'' aetlous obJcctlcn tneD relcad against thto drCfttlOUa

practice by Mr Lea, ths noutly av.»olnted Cantrollu at tml;rent

11 Tt\a yearly owttego of the monthlv avaroge eunlnp ln both aoto of figures usro calculated en the baslo of oarn~ csur lng 'GD typlc:al months leo•, March end september In ooch

~· fjgyf!LCQ.IWM RgpQU,.. 19J1t P• 38?• Appendix Tflblo IU wUl shoo that thoro CDBO always a &lgntflcent gap ( J9r6 hlghost end ~ lowest) batcmon the total m£'1~ or labourers on the boOks end daU'/ \TlMkln'.) otlength.

-202-

Labour. In hlo conftdsntlal report to tho Gowrnnent of Indio h9

pointed out that tJ1a e1090 etetletlce publls"ad in tho emval

~ort9 of Gouamment of Asoam taen •m~loBdlng• • In hlG ODlnlon

only tho wags flgwoa ea~llo~ publlahed undet est (e) ~oprQGOnted

tho actual earnlngo of leboural's wttlc::h ~ro lese c~rnd to the

eot (b).'' In hie reply Hr ClOI!J e eenlo~ official ln the Ooput­

mont of lnttustty end Lo~, Gouomment of India OfPOOd wlt.h thO

Con*lle~ of Emigrant Lotxnn.• that "tha pteeant method of c:olcula­

una the euare;e montf\lv cuh oarnlngs is cpan to eo•lOU9 obJec­

tion aa the flgu:oo dO not tre,~tocant aftat trtay pu:port to t£Jpre­

sant aru1 ere dstlnitely mlalcmSlng.n 14 But th9 govarnment GlO.S not

ln favour of publishing tho eubatltute fl9ures ot avercgo monthly

oQnlngo calculated on thO baais of total numtmr or labouvore on

tha ()Uden ~e. Tho ~eaaan <)lvon for t.tala was that U will ehoa

e big drop ln the f1poe of eva1'ege earnings c:Jhieh "mlgtlt. tiD

mlalnte:proted bV the pUbl1c.0 ?S lnstecct lt Cifl9 euggeated that

the preoont f!QurtJ& 1n set (b) should b8 aubatltuted b" tho overogo

amount aarnad cv e lobawo~ in a ctay•e am. Thle c=uld b9 obtain­

ed bv dluidlng tfta tatel waoa payment by the numbs~ of working dayo.

Ofhls eW not lend lt89lt to mlelecdlng eampQ.&tlaono, cmd lt auld

'' Leo•e letter doted 21at Novsrnber '9''• markod Cgnfjdgot1al­to Mr "•l• ClO«:J of thO Dapfttt:ulnt of lnrSuauy end t.aboaa, Gouornmont of lrujlo. See Gouorn:nant oV Asaam, Conorel end Judlciol Deputmont, lmmlQtatlon Brom:tt o, Nos. 127·~• Stlptoktbsr t9J4, P• ao.

?4 A•l• Clow•e letter to Kt Lao dated 6th oecembet ,9JJ, ln J.JW1u P• 2t •

75 lbltk

-20,.

glw o fl;ura ropreasntlng eamathtng coal, mtmroao the pnasnt

flQU1'8s reptesnnt tlo::Dthlng that tmrdoL'o on tho lmaglnary. u76 no. euar, the tmlgrant LebOur raporta pUbllshad ~eo eota of tiou1'09

Ulhldl inGludod th~J rormar t"" soto ot fl;urao eo wall ao t'-' fl•

gurea ropresontlng evaraga dDlly mumlnQS or thO labourers or aU

categ:,rlse.

Unfortunately moot othat: saurcoo publlottod the figures of

auorega monthly ~nlngo Which had boon cterlvad f1'Ciil thO Aosam

l.mbaur Reports. For o~lBt tna annual l'Oports on prot!uctlon of

too ( t9ntJ-1929) end the I net len Teo Stotlatlce ( 19~1946) repl'o-

duced tho proulnclal euaragoo of munthly earnlngo mhlch weto orl­

glmUy publlett~ 1n tha Aaani'Il Labour Reports respaotlvely. Simi•

l~lVt Aegs•s report ln 1946 eleo ro::traduced trw wage flgurea

publbhnd ln th9 lsttsr eourcEUle fhs semo practlco cuss ropentod

ln ttm Indian Lebow Year Bcatce. Oeshpsnde'e r®=t (1947), ttao­

ovor, adopted e completely dlfterent mathOd or calculatlng (based

on data colloctGd through sample euruey) ~ly ouarogo oarnlnga

end OJr&)OMGO of toe garcfan lettour 'amlll83 ln AOGtlme

In Assam uollev 960 family btrJgeto of labourers out of t~ty

ge&'dono cuettO salectad for tabulot1cn.77 The a\IGL'aQO elza of thO

tamllv uws doterminad at 4.ts poroons lnclUdlno oarnlng and eum­

oornlng mmnbere (man, woman and chlldl"tln) • Out of thot'19 the nunbo~t

• 206-

culat1ng thO Q108kly tomlly lncom9 of tea garden letmurero Osattpsndo

inclUded wasos, &lSSA earnings, ~nosa allo:nJn:e, bonuS, CliOnay

valuo oV concosalons end income from othe euUl'coe llke londt

etc. 79 Using thla mothad tho £nqulry CommitteD ealculeted the

tUeakly 1ncasno eomoct by 2.44 pe.:mma (of an ouoroge tomUy ot 4.15

psroona) ao ~. 10.&2.10 As ~cs to thb the OPfiCOMlmate nomi­

nal meg2e of ~ auult (man end waman) and a child worko aut to bO

Else 8.42 pett =etc (thO avera;as of thl."oe dieblats cambtmd) tor

~94?. Thle flgmo oleo lnelwoo the value of cancces1ons and VaS

eunlntla• 01 Titus Ooahltando's aotlmetad f'lgure lo 22 CK~r cant

hlgtm~ com;ttn'Od to tho flgure wo$od au\ ftam ttuJ oft1cW time

se•ict'J• Tmo fectore Ol'O eoaponalble Vo:r thle. flrot the money

value of concessions and, aocond, dotDnaas ell~. The escunp­

tlan bshlnd the flret eoons to be that oll labowore rocolved ruu concssslona. Thlo ls not ontlroly cor.rcct ee oD haue atuwn eorlter.

It aos cled f'tom thCJ lnopactlon roporto or tt= dlet~lct oftlclals

thot •elcknasa ellcmance•, 1subabtonc:o retlona• &Ad 1bcnua• dld

not allsaye functioned eo cancas•lon&. 62 SeeondlVt the cteornaee

"10 U!l!JAJ Table JCJ, P• 24 and P• 22.

19 °1'h9 manov ualuo or concea&lom cas ovaluatod bV tll41no lnto eac:aunt the dlfrer<anco batwsn the morket ~S.C:Os of t.hn GOlectad eamodl,lue end tJ\8 cancea3ion roteo at mttlch they wore euppl&od to tho c=rtws:e by the managnment." A!d&• P• 9.

80 ,lblQe• Tebles XUI end XIV, PP• 27 end 29 ~as;~actlvalv•

e' worked out of Toblo 5e8e

82 ror dataUo ana Che 1V1 p,,. • The qusotlon of land grant ror private ct~lUvatlon eo concesolon has elC'eruSy been dlscussod abOva ln oecticn 1.

• 209.

elloUJOneo emf» oftlc1e11y lnUo::Jucod 1n rsu~y, 1947. 9

' Komsvor

tram t.ha peat e~rience o' onttpathy of planters toamrde provi•

e1ono reQGrdlng lat=ur eJOJ.fema ln ttta lsa lt UJ:suld txt tao opt~

mlatlc to eJQ)act them to haw lmplemantod lh9 dearness eUOUJanes

clause lrnmcdlatoly. Tho feet thot tha offlclal omual repatt of

tha Contrelll~ of tmlgrant Labour dld not inclUde thle in lto

pubUehad C1J8Q9 flgUJeo tor '947 strengthens ow Ug\tDQnt. Mol'O-

over, ttm dae~naoo aUcmcnco ortS tho monov ualuo of ooncesolcns

constituted noarly 4' per cont o' tho total ~ekly o~lngs of a

labour tomlly in Ooehpanda'o calculationn.84 Th1o eppoaro too

high o flguro ~ lond anv c~edlblllty to ita accuracy. Vor tho

aamo ~aacns, therefore, lt canMt tm uoett ao D foiQ btUlie of

campsrloan wlth tho offlolol ~ asrlea.

Thora is onlv ana set or oopfltoto wane f1guroo avaUible

outolde tho above ecurca which ln our vleo fairly rePJesonts tho

auorags rnunthly oaml.nge of Ute leboUl' fotea. Thle eat of figures

oro auoileblo only far ttua yaor 1900 and 'w' ond CJSre 11eported

1n ths ~u~llchsd inspection repo~te conduCted by thS distriCt

off1c1alo in oome of tha tea dlat~icte ln Asoam Valloy.89 Thsso

figuroe t!!BN coUoot9d end caq,llod out ot the or1gl.nal boctca

malntolft.:Jd ln the plentero' ofttcoe ln the tea oetat0o by the

8' Deshpandi!Jt gtta;i.tu P• Oe

84 Ab14a• Table xau, P• 20.

OS ror dotalls on tmoo roportG see Cttapw lu.

• 206.

lnBPtiSCtlng officials. Unfo.tttunstelvt a haw net car.m ac~oea eny

otttn evch te1)ort frs the reat or tho ported or ow etwv.

FoUowlng ths ebOIIO llfQ\BOnto ebwt the Umltetlon of wags

data publlahed ln Cha Aeaam Gowrmmnt 17~te on emigrant

labaurol's and on th9 baeie at ita compstleon t:.tlth the fiQures

given In thB 1nepact1cn rcporta ru the carreopondlng yoeto ( 1900•

190t) a:o put fonJard o~ maln propositions that tho date publlched

1n bOth cot (o) ond (b) in Assam Lebour r; epOlta reprosontms ln.

f1etad figures of ovaroge CJClftthly eunlnge for each veu. Our

cantontlan 1s baaed on th9 foUowlnQ ug&IDOntoa Unt!av tml prouall•

1ng lema ftm the emigrant labour in AOZQG ttw plcntoro usn roqvlud

eo pointed aut eadiol't in tho l)fa-t900 potlod th9 wogmo paid to

tho lflboursre u;an generally belou. thO etatut01'V mtnSmum rates ot

~. 9.oo and Ill. 4.oo for men and uamon ra&:)ec,ivolv• 86 Tho ;espec­

tlvo Chief Ca~~mlBolonare• tuJWOVQt cttDse to ign:.:pe thle obu1ow

bratleh of tho labour lew. Whan ttanJ.ty &ott.Oft su;poted a robo 1n

the waeos of teo labour, hie maJot erg\Gent. in support at ftto

~ecammsnuotlon wore ~Ito obavo fectss "Tho eccwaev of ths etato­

manto or figurea given ln tho P&'ou1ncla1 ltM~igraUcn Annual Ao­

porto, abtoinad hom the euolovara' accounts, 1m PQrhapa opan to

quaatlcn, end thGre iu reaaon ta bellow Utat the avaragaa re­

turnod in retant ycu~a ere ln excaaa of the ~ages actually po1d.n67

86 saa Table '• 7 An thapt9&' l, P• 41.

87 fB£., 19C1t Vol. XLt Pe tJ.

-207.

Second, the tlguHo ot monthly wages coUactotS hem enmo

oV ttto go~den boofcs by the ln!l'octlng offlclols during 1900 end

heM samo of tho map ftgurea oV Act ond Non-Act lotmvrers ~lvsn

in ttta inspection reports of different taa OOJtcfana dt.lflng t9UD

end 1901. Table s., she® tho wa;o figures of Act labaurewa 1n

Loteb.Ul Teo tstato in !Ubsa;ar ham Jonv~y 1900 to Oocembo~t 1900

c~llectsd by Ceptein Laucnton (C1vll surgeon of SlbSagn~ Olstrlct).

This tablo altaws tho yauly auoraga (based on tho flcduros of 12

rnonttas• eevninga) of monthly earnlnga of etan ancJ women net latr.Jwe~e

0s ~ '•48 and l!se 2. 74 S:GsPaotiwly. Ccmparod to tnlo thG SDttQO

figures publlehod 1n oftlclal tlmo sarloo to: the carreflpondlng

yaor wets much hlghor, l.a., ~ 5.JB1 ~. SeJO &M ~ 4.89 tor man,

end P.s. 4eD?, ~. 4.06 and 2!!e '•92 for wamon ln fbrth &.akhlt:ll'~t

Sibsegu and Osrang rcepocttvoly• 68 In tcblo S.4 ~ twue ~ep•o­

duced tM details ot tho ,euly avarBQe of monthly earntnge (ba~ '

on the figures of !January end June) of Non..Act labQurore dwlng

t90t ln 5adMugope• Sh~emato and Abnr4eon Toa Eotatas (Oa~rcng)

wrtlch h~ been collectad by Copta1n H.w. Colo, Deputv CCJnmlealcnor,

oewrang. Tha hlgheat flgureo ln tnls teblo, leo• J.M, Ao. 1.90

end qe. 1.:50 for man• UJOmen and children tosp'"'tluely cr.1)~e much

lower compared to the Vlgurea in official tlmo aorleo for the

January ,1900

February, 1900

March, 1900

April, 1900 May, 1900 June, 1900 July, 1900

August, 1900

. September, 1900

october, 1900

November, 1900

December, 1900

AVERAGE FOR THE WHOLE YEAR

·• . ·TA BLI! ;·;2

Wll!l!!" ~l!Jt£11Ct ~A&l-Labg!!reu'J Lll~lbaEl rea [·~·a· ~lbaeg•£. ·l2DD ~

!!!;N WOMEN

·No. in No. of Actual Average !a. & I No. in No. of Actua 1 Average Attenda nee daks wages rate per deci-~ Attendance days wages rate per Register wor ed received head ma ls Register worked recei- head

t~ of !s. I ved

Br a p Et a p

72 1,~56 289.6.9 4.0.3 4.01 100 2,184 322.13.3 3.2.7

76 1,380 287.4.0 3·12·5 3.78 98 1,871 307.15.9 3·2·3 78· 1,28~ 236,14.3 3o4o7 3~29 96 1,704i 2~2.12.3 2.10 .1

73 1,39~ 278.5.0 3ol3o0 3.81 86 1,567t 2~0·2·3 2.14.6

72 1,391t 261.8.3 3o10 •1 3.64 87 1,801i 266.0.6 3.0.11

88 1,434-l 283.5.6 3.3.6 3.22 90 1,664 2!:17 .4.6 2.13.8 77 1,430 277.15.0 3o9o9 3.61 90 1,463 227.0.3 2.8.4

80 1,677t 314.0.3 3o14o9 3.93 89 1,647 243.12.0 2.11.9

83 1,57Bt 318.2.6 3o13o3 3.83 93 1,386 222.5.9 2.6.3

85 1,384 257.7.0 3.0.5 3.03 102 1,514 223.7.6 2.3.4

87 1,244 247.11.3 2·12.6 2.48 99 1,490 237.7.6 2.6.4

88 1,266 252.2.9 2o13o9 2.86 102 1, 773 282o2o9 2.13.3

3.48 2.74

SOURCEa Government of India, Department of Revenue and Agriculture, Emigration, A Proceedings - Nos.6 to 8, File No.90 of 1901, p. 15).

!a. & deeima ls 0 f !a.

3ol7

3.15

2.64

2o9l

3o05

2.85

2.52

2.73

2o38

2.21

2.39

2.83

1._ABLE S~ • . WA!j~~ gE LABO!.!BI:BS {NON-ACT~ IN SADHRUGOPE 1 SHAKOMATO

TEA GARDE !: 1 DA!!RARG 1 1221 AND ABERDE!i,N

No. in the No. of days Act ua 1 wages received Average rate Register worked including ticca per head

January June January June January June January

a.. a • P • IIJ. a • p IIJ. a. P·l b.

Sas!b!:ugoee and §ha leoma to Tea E!tates

Non-Ac;t

Men 207 200 4,14~ 3,35o.f 675 3 11 564 7 9 3 4 2 3 • • .o I .~ .. 4 • < ,., I•

Women 133 189 2,047t 2,508 263 14 6 347 11 6 1 15 9 1

Children 74 94 1,217t 1,307t 102 4 8 107 9 6 1 6 1 1

Abardun Tea estate

Men 24 23 491t 426i 86 3 9 77 13 0 3 9 6 3

Women 23 34 375 490 47 2 3 65 1 6 2 0 9 1

Children . 3 7 '41t 130i 2 10 3 12 1 3 0 14 1 1

s·ouRce a Government of India 1 Department of Revenue and Agriculture, Emigration. A Proceedings, No. o. File No.87, November 1901 1 pp.944 and 947.

I ... ),

·J j\').;i· .

"~ th1y ,liv*-

June rage tor

a. P• -!»1e ar

••

13 1 3.54

13 5 ·1.91

2 4 1.27

6 2 3.49

14 7 1.98

11 7 1.30

• ooJrespondtno yam~. Tho lattft flgureo were ~. 5.2?, fft• '•" ond

~. s.o6 to~ men, ~. '·''• b. J.?a end~ Je96 for mcmen, end Q:Je

2.2J, ~ 2.46 erus ~ 2e44 tor chUdHn 1n NDrth Lekttlmpur1 Sab8agu

end Oar~ong reepect1vo1y.69

untortunotely, CZl9 ttavo not cama ecrooe such wpnctlon re­

porta for tho ~:cat of the perloel umre-r etudy Glhlch cauld have

provided ekiUet t.tate on wggs ln ttto Aoaam Valloy tea QUd8M•

Ttmratore, 1n o:cwr to estimate the CSJP"Oxtmeto a~apa or both Act

end ~Aet l&bmitoro, • shall adJust thO official time oetln on

tho barslo of figuraa glven 1n Table '•' end Teblo 9.4 NCSJJSCtlvely.

Vor Act loboaa Ute ratio tJatwoon tttG fl;uree or offlclol tlc!9

oa-rles eflft youly ovarage of monthly maQee given in Toble '•' t~

tJ\o sans yo~, l.o., 1900 hoe tman used to doflote ttto flgut"ea f•

ths nat ot yaa11o glvon In tho formo..- oowco (See Table s.s).90

S.lmUe~ly, in the cl!leo or fian-Act lobo~ thG cauo betlusln the

fl~ureo gluen in officially puhllehsd report and voarly avonge of

monthly CJOt)D ft;ureo oluen ln Teblo s.4 hl8 tlaUG tatcen the hlghoat

fl;vr•• 1.R!'le '•'4• ~. te9S and es. 1.50 for men, CifJman encs c:hlldfen

&-ospoctlvoly) for th9 acmo vaor, l.a., t9Dt "• bean used to deflate

tho flgurae or the official tlmo ~rtea (sae Toble 5.6). 9t r~cm

69 !tJMfbl.!b))_Hr Aqgeg, t90'.

9D Tna flguroe of orf&clel tlm3 se.rlee for Act labouro~o are eoparotoly glwn 1n e1mtlon 111. see Toble 9.1. ThO eotlo babson tho - flgureo works out to tJe o.6s, 0.66 end o. fl for CD3n1 o.&1, o.67 and o.?o fM wamon ln Lekhimpur, Slb­sa;or end Darreng diGtrlcts raepectlvoly.

Tha mtlo t»twsen the two fl9urae wattca out to be o.69, 0.61 end o.?o tar man, o.ss, o.s2 and o.s6 far ~n and o.sa. OeSJ Dnd O.SJ for Chlldi'Gn ln &.ekhlmput't Slbaegar Elftd D~l'Mg dlatrlcte ..-espectlVDlJ•

TAU '·' &1§~:a:st;=:~~~a=i~IIMUIQII &D

You f!QJK\ ~-- S&~d Jl.I!JUQQ I 61

~n wcr:aan Ron women Man vamen

e:,. ~. ~. lbl. ~. rat.

tWO J.48 2.?4 ,.48 2.74 ,.48 2.,. 1901.02 Je60 2.96 ,.'19 2.96 ,.42 2.99

t002•0J '·'' 2.69 J.70 2.95 Je61 ).06

t90J-04 Je42 2e84 J.66 2.86 .Je63 '·'' 19041109 '·''

2e69 , .. ,, 2.95 J.6J J.O?

1905-06 '·'' '·'' J.68 ,.27 ,.99 J.21

19D6-07 4e0J J.56 J.ss 2.9J 4.01 '·6' t9D7.0S J.60 J.24 '·58 ,., ,.94 '·49 1909-09 ,.26 2.9U Je60 Je02 J.96 J.6t

19U9-10 J.49 J.OJ '·'' ).02 ,.72 '·'2 1910.11 J.69 2.91 Je49 2.80 J.64 ,.69

19t1•12 Je47 J.OO J.4? ,.09 '·'' '·"" 1912-t) J.60 '·'' '·'' 2e6J ,.64 J.GO

t9tJ-14 Je42 s.oa '·'' ,.,2 ,.42 J.1S

1910.19 '·'' ,.,o J.58 J.49 Je49 JeS?

19t5-16 J.40 J.4J J.SO '·'' s.62 4.21

t916-t1 4.00 J.St J.10 '·'0 4.04 4.96

1911·10 ,.74 '·" J.7t J.to s.ea 4e66

191&-19 ,.,, 2.8, J.9J ,.29 4.J6 4.01

~orkad aut of tha f£Guros ln ofticlal ttma ea~los to~ net lat»w (oeo Ta.blo 5.7) which are adJusted on tho baolo of flgul'OS gluon in Table 9eJ fal' tf\9 va• 190De

TAU 9e6

t

Lokhlmpua- Slboega~ Oo•atano You ""n woman Chlldton Man -.amen th11ctron Aen vcman Children

t?s. ~. n!te lllt tts. Jlt. Q)e fill. ~. "

,900 J.69 2t01 1eJ4 J.90 2.10 ,.,2 4e14 2.04 t.27

19Cn '·" 1.98 ,.~ '·54 t.98 ... so Je94 1.98 1.JO t4i02..0) J.ts 1.92 '·" '•'9 t.92 '·'' Je25 1.98 1.50

t905-04 ,.42 t.91 1.29 J.S1 1.87 1.28 Je29 "·'' '·" t90tMlS ,.94 1e91 1.29 '·~ •• 99 t.JO ,.28 1.66 1.18 1909-06 '·'' 2.14 1.27 JeSS 2.09 t.28 '·'4 2.)2 1.)9

1906-07 J.so 2.22 '•'' '·" 2e2J t.J4 J.6? 2.26 '·" 1901-os ,.52 2e21 t.4J J.69 2.24 '·'' ,.47 2.,, '·" 190S.09 Je5J 2e19 1e2S J.69 2.26 '·'4 '·'' 2.J2 , .• 19D9-10 4.0J 2.46 t.4J Je94 2.4? ,.,9 ,.S2 2.46 1.49 ,,.,.,, J.?t 2.54 1e41 Je86 2eS9 1.49 '·'6 2e69 1.40 1911•12 ,.18 2.41 1.44 ,.ot 2.4, t.S2 J.96 2.78 t.so 19t2•1J J.at 2eS? 1.48 4.0J 2.40 1.96 4.09 2.'74 1.48 19tJ-14 JeG9 2.69 "·'' J.99 2.61 1e$0 4.08 2.16 t.~

1914-tS JeGJ 2.8, t.so 4e19 2eB6 t.21 4.17 2.99 '·'' 1915-16 4.14 J.o? 1.'14 4.14 2.12 1.59 J.99 J.07 '·"2 1916-17 4.)8 J.1o 1e81 4.05 2eOU 1.50 4.02 Je2J 1.10 191?•18 4.29 ,.,4 1.79 4.16 2.65 t.J1 4.2J ,.2? ,.,, 1910.19 4.SD ,.J2 1.92 4.11 2.18 1,60 ,.61 '·'' '·'' 1919-20 4.SS '·'2 2e02 4.59 '·'' 1.96 4.74 J.81 2.ot 1920-2t 4.40 2.91 2.,, 4.69 ,.,o z.oo '·'' ,.78 2.05 1921·22 4.99 ,.49 2.2) 9.07 '·'6 2.t4 s.o? '·'' 2.04 1922•2) 9.25 '·'' 2.,, 5e27 J.42 2e:J2 '•'' '·94 2.15 192).24 5.24 '·'' 2.40 9.42 '·'' 2.4S '·'' '·'9 2.29 1924-29 s.sn ,.60 2.44 '·" '·'6 2.40 s.69 '·91 2.29 1929-26 6.00 ,.82 2.49 6.ot ,.90 2eSS 9.92 4.10 2.56

~otkod out of the fl;uroa ln orflcl&l tlma C9ttles tor Non-Act lo~ (sao Tablo s.e) which ere adJustod on tl'\9 baslo of highest ftguroo gluan 1n Teble 9.4 far the yael" 1901.

• 2t3 •

Tcble ~. 5 and '•6 bscomsa oleol' that moat of tmJ ttmo tha .:raga

paid to the lobovr forca Ut&N ouon bale» ttm statutory mln~

Tho blttor putallo conuovo~ey mhlch took placs bQtt~ean Cottoft

end thO plente"e ouel' tha QUOstton or wa;ea during hl9 tenure ea

tha thlot tommlselom&' ot Aooam made tho plontoro oomeshat cautious.

ttanca tte naceaslty to put»llsh lntlated wago tlgwea Which UJOuld

conform eltlt tho atet.uwv mlnlm\JD rates 1nstoad or actuallv paying

hiQhsl" magee. This waa oucceasfully achlcvsd by adopting et'bi­

t.l'ol'y motl\o:!e ot coUoc'lon and cnmpUetlon of GJSQG rottmna. Tnb

could not have bGen dona m1ttmut tho sanction end actlva cuppott

of tha colonial bur~OOV•

Ill

ln thla coctlon ma cl'lall onal yso tt\9 trends or weges of

dlfforant catotJQrteo of lcboutare &n the thttoo dlattlcte or Lekhim­

Plll't Slbaag~ end ourang. wo twuo taken tho Ut&ga flQuroa tor t.rua

dleh let hGadqual'tere ln tho cose of S1bGeg.v end oan-ong es fel~·

ly repraaentetlvo ot tha ontlfe dlstr1ct. Ho:~evar 1 ln the ce• •

those ot Lekhimpur Sa~. Tho main ~~ason tor our profot>cnce lo

not bacause the flguroe 1n tho case of rormer era loa:e~ campo:ed

to tha lotto:: but bacauGS Lekhlmpu~ sea atattetlco fluctuate ~

one extl'eme to tho oth~r for certain yaara wlthaut any e~lenotlon

fot tf'W uru.t9uel emptltwsa ct rtuc,uatton. S1ft4e t~m ma;a f'i;utaa

ot moat olhe~ dlsUlcto ctu?lng tho coneapanalng po~icd do not ofU)w

a.mtt t.cnctenfli~o thD ~xttomnlv high W1!99 ft9urea fot: Lflkhi.mpur ~

mlgtlt mJt naeoae5~1lr mman eo Utuch r!a ln enrnlnge ot ttsa latmwere.

Thus 1n ttw absant:e ot any exPllbfllltlon rur ouet• a sh~ iftcracae ln

GSQO flQurcs ror Lakhlmpur Saclr and tho lemec of eny othfm oat ot

~e dbto wa have proforeed thO flgurea far North l..ekh1tapur, Vlhlch,

e~ l'.ti Gh6U ooo ,t~UpMsantad a eo&wiatm'~ Uend.

SeccndlVt .m.uo ca&nto1nif1g that ot'rioi.el tlmu GO~iee on waoeo

wee lntletedt fot ttm PUI'PGDBS nf stud~ing \l'Qnde and 1n the littat

ot' W1" eot11~ cr:1t1clSt ef maee ~ta wwJ 60Ul'4.'G Bf&W.i.el, we ohall

eccept tha f1gurou ealculatad an tho basi& of tot&l number of

lab:lurere (CGt e) on tho bodJC (ot'tld.nlly published) oa tho nominal

e~rtnlngo. ~t U\& aarP.n ttma, e"J ah&ll alao w~ ttta Viganos cole.;.

loted on thn bsaia at d8.UV a~nkif\9 otwongth (aet b) aa '4n inda~e

of' e'-'otontW' o~nt.n;.s provl~ad the lab:M'e:o hsd w:tcsct ewty

oinglo dey o9 ttts ra:mt"• Thi~ could to totm-ad 0s ~::~ ~to.

aarcn:o mu ate;:\ too snslyai9 of US:S\19 f.'Jato fot: oWd1lng vena

a road of eXf)lenot4~ fer thO pur loo.to&Uon lo calt1'B1tte6 h9ftt•

Bttom1ly B:l?'Jilltlng a10 omsU etwv tho tt:und3 aacooa ~1ue tllll-ch t&

of.Seltt&'ld.ly as' ortduev divlslon. Ka~ve~, ~:~lUtln Wo "e~lodloa­

tlon Gpaclflc amphamls la ;luen to c;grtoln junoturoo, vu., tte

world we~ I end u. we mw to nato tta0t tha prlc.e ".,~ o~• not

cveilablD ln tt1a t~ of a oitl~tJ '1m0 sorioa ~ur t.tAa period ea ~

~lo under Gtt.rtSy. lnmtoal't d1t~t'\t trl!YrCa9 p.-ov1do prlce data

for varying periads end eano~s tt.e eocur.adltle& ~uorod olno

vu10d.92

rablG ~.7 al\CQI& tho vaa~ly svu~ of' mM•~2tlv ~1'!e of man

end wmon Act labc&.lfers ln ~th l.atth-ur, SliJ$aQm1 and Onreng.

BGf~o m analyao tha data ln Table s.7, ~:JC~ cuauld lSkll to polnt to

tho m1n1mw tt~ttG of cuaQea tUed by tha Act VI at ttJO,, d\lch ~Se&

to bD ~ s.no AntS ~e. 4.oo &n the tu&t Yfl9• ~. s.!)D em~ o.so

dUl'lnQ the aon~ and thud yeso, end t.'l• 6.oo &rid Wzt. s .. oo ln tho

fourth year or co:ottltrmt foe a man end a ~an ~opsctivoly. 9' As

pointed cu\ ~ller, eue1'y labourc• UJa$ c:nnuscwd urmar th1e Act

f.- e mlnilwD period or fcut yeQs fincJ if ha vloleted th1a tm!m or

conuect, he aaa l10ble t.o punlatwont und~ PQf\!ll lsm9• Thi~ mseno

t.h9 mojcn1ty of the e~o:lceH muploye.d ururo~ thla cont:raet ccrtelnl.y

cmJrkGd ot leoat fw faur yaue. Tha SCtWDl pa~tctd elf mntulce UV

naun baOA lonQSr f'-'l' many af them m$ trt.qy ga~s 1flmtatt~!ngly 1ntmtt­

tod to tha plentoN 01' had touoms tenanta cf tho lattstt houlng

lecsad for private cultlvatlDna RA\m?thalsas uat tmto trta P!'CSC1'1lmtJ

pori~ or ttJm- ,as~a end V1xed mlnltMlD tl8\}0 tt1u:-e os ow ba:sth

Aaeot'dlng ~ thle, t.hG e~~ego c-.onthly magee ct Act 10:,.~\IIQ~a durlng

the ccmtl'actuel parimt wo:k aut to ba a m1nJ.mr.a ~. !i.9D fc~ e man

and ~o 4•S0 f~r 0 Mli£1M• A COID$lB11lOGn 0, the AJ.mlml.ID "!~ t:&;e

91, tOt' dG~Ue eua b-dlOt.J aaaU~ 111, $Jih ;255-llc!l.

9; Rflh£Ji,. 1706, P• 146e

TABL£ 5.7

---------....- --------·-Year

1900 1901 1902-3 1903-4 1904-~ 190~6 1906-7 1907-8 1908-9 1909-10 1910-11 1911-12 1912-13 1913-14 1914-1~ 191~16 1916-17 1917-18 1918-19.

NORTH LA KHIMPUR

~ ~ b b

~.38 5.57 ~-21 ~-29 5.13 5o42 6.23· ~.57.

5o04 5.40 ~.64 5.36 5.56 ~.28 5.78 5.38 6.19 5.78 4.90

4.07 4.40 4.00 4.22 4.00 4.68 5.29 4.81 4.31 4.50 4.41 4.47 4.68 •• ~7 4.90 ~.o8 ~.21 ~.02 4.20

SIBSAgAQ

5.30 5.77 5.63 5.57 5.68 5.61 5.40 5.45 5o48 5.37 5.25 5.28 5.38 5.17 5.45 5.33 5.63 5.65 5.98

4.06 4·38 4.37 4o23 4o37 4.84 4.34 4.60 4.48 4.48 4.27 4.58 3-90 4.61 ~.15 4.92 4.~9· 4.59 4.86

DABRANG

4o89 4o81 5.07 5o13 ~.10 5.61 5.63 5.54 5.57 5o23 s.u 4-71 5oll 4.80 4.90 5.09 5.68 5.45 6.13

3·92 4o28 4.31 4·50 4o39 4.58 5.22 4.98 5.17 5.18 ~.28 5.30 ~.16 5.36 5.~3 6.03 7.69 6.66 6.68

NOTEt (i) Figures for the years 1909-10 are worked ~ut of two.preceding and sua:aeding years for all districts.

(ii) Figures of women's wages in oarrang district for the year 1918-19 worked out of two preceding and two succeeding years.

SOUR<:E 1 Assam Labour Reports for respective years.

- 217-

flf}ure a.lth tt\9 fl9urea 1n Table te7 aholus that tho avorago oarn.lngo

of bOth mon e~ oczmn latDurors ~e 10Vl81' than ttu:t overage pres-

crt~d mlnllmiD ln most cesea. ror e~le, during tt1e 19 pare

tram 1900 to 19U.19 U\8 eugas of con labo\Jltere ~cmainad balOt!J that

lowl for 12, 1t and '' voaze ond for C!JQmQn lab::UIGl'S 9 and 10

years ln raorth l..olchtmpur, Sltsagor and Oftttang roapactlualv. Only

in DeHang ummon's magee eao conald8rably hlc}hor ln moat yoel'ee

Let w now lOOk at ttm long to21! bondS or flla9Da of rll:t

lobaurars ln tha threo dl&trlcta. Thn waQO tlourea glvan in Table

9.7 aro visually ~ojacted ln figures 9e1t 9e2 and SeJ Vcr Nortft

Lokhimpur, Slbagar and DB1'1'8ftQ respactlvely.

In all the three dlsulcte thO cap trends in tho long run

(tulth tho exr:eJ)tion Df \!JCiimen•o IBSQe& 1n oarrong) romalnsd otegnant

~lno 1900-1918-19. lnslf}nlflcant lnuaocee care eJQ)91'loncad

~lng a faw yaal'ae wcmen'o crsgee ehciOOd up1!JfUtcJ tendanciea only

ln Osteng the l.ncreaoo baing little loss than ct:wblo dultlng 1900. p;~

1910.19 (ooo ~o '•'• 9.2 and s.J). But thS owrall lncrosaa

wao vary l.ns~n&flc:ant ln all t"s tMea cuaulcto. rM exantj)l9 tho

lncroaoa in mnn' o ~:~EH}Qo ~a 9pm~ cant, 0 pe~ cent oms 9 pol' c:ent

end ~·o ~:~agos can 18 par cent, ,, CJBI' cent and ~r eont In

North Lokhlmpur, Slbsegar end DMI'GnQ nopectlvely tQ 19DD-19D4-tl5

trut 19t4-19-19t9-19 (ooo Toblo t.?). ~ 4 Thts reot>Gaented an annual

evaraQe "oto of increase tor men 0.26 poL" cent, 0 pol' cant and fJ.47

ror tho purpose of camperls:m tJ\9 bass 1a 5 yearlv avarageo ham =t.h end.

I I

iii . t

a. ;,

6

5

a: " ~ ·

2

0

t· YEARt;;Y AVERAGES OF NOMINAL..- . fviONTHLY WAGES OF ACT LABOURERS

IN THE DISTRICT OF LAKHIMPUR 1900-1918-19

MEN

WOMEN --------

I e 0 ~ S:l C"' ;! ... ~ ,..

'i ~ ... ...

0 B . I I I I I I I

0 § 0 ... 1:1 ;i ll! ID ~ ... ... ... i en $ZI $ZI $ZI ~ $ZI en ~ ~ ... ...

YEARS

Fig-5·1

.. .. - - ·- · - -·--·~- ~--- .. - -- .. . --- · - - ·· ... - - ~ - --- --·

en l ~

I I

...... Kl • Q. :l

7

'5 .

a: 4 .§

II) UJ t!)

~ l

Z.

0

8 Gt .... § 0

Gt .... ....

YEARLY AVERAGES OF NO.\liNi~L ~~tONTHLY \.'I~GES OF ACT LA 'JOU:{ERS IN

THE DISTRICT OF SISS/ ·.GA?. 1900 -1918-19

.... ~ ~ 'i" I I ~ o;:. N

~ ~ ~ YEARS

Fig-5-2

I

~ ~

MEN

WOMEN

~ ID .... I I

"1- II)

C1l ~ ....

- ~ I

IQ 01 ....

I

~

1 I

j .j

-- - - -·-- ------·-~-----·------ ... - ·-··- .. ~- -- ·---... ~- - ~ ~"' ... - -- ~----------- .

....... Ill

" " A. :J

_a;. .§

lfi <!)

< ~

i L '

· l. -· -

YEARLY AVERAGES OF NOMINAL MONTHLY WAGES OF ACT LABOURERS IN

THE DISTRrCT OF DARRA~ 1900-1918-19

8~--------------------------------------------~

7

6

5

4 / "

3

2

0

8 en ...

/ /

/ ~,I

--~-- ... --""" . r---:-

)

'? 19 ... ~ ~ 0 s

$1! II

,,r ........... ....,. ______ _

r-

~ ~ S2

i I

0 a II II

YEARS

Fig-5-3

~...-' ..,....----... ,,.,.,.'' ... -... _,

MEN

/ , ,

,. I' I '

I ' I \ I \

I \ I \ I \..----

1 I I

I )

WOMEN --------

... N l!l ..., Ill II) r- en ... ... I "'j ... I ... ...

I I I I . I I

~ 2 N

~ ..., ., II) r- CD

~ 5i ... ii

... lZi ... ... ... $12 $12

'- ·--J · · - --·· "'- ----·----- ~ ··-~-- --- .... -· .... -. --~- --------- --· ., ... _ _ __ . ... -- .. _ _, . __ ... ._.. ~ ·-- ·--··· . .......

• 219.

ttmS9 flgurea do not rept'aesnt moo cash aornlnoo, as GU claimed

by tho plentlng lntftGato, but thoy oleo lnclUdod the uoluo or

9 concosaiono" end !lse! aa~nlnga (Tablo 9.?).

t\iO stloll naa axamlns tho eago tAQuros (cot b) cmlc:ulatcd on

thO baol9 of dally working strength (ooo Appondl• Table u). The

ftouroo or eage rato ore hlQhSr comp~ed to the epp~oxtmete namlnal

wage. Howoue~, .mat la lmsJgrtant la that tM long term trondo

ore eultdngly slmUe11 &n tsoth. The usage rota (bOth ror man and

asC~DSn) remalmd stagnant ln all threa dloblcto. In fact, ln Sib­

sage thaN eoame to b9 express tomsancleo of cmclim ln thO euly

yael's tllh.Ua rmman•o t!JBgOa ln OUrong aha~ upmal'd tremre ln latatt

yeare. Tm overall lncrcaso in asa;a tatD botuson 190S.06 • 1910•11

and 1914-19 • t9tB-t9 for mon eJB:) 0 pe~ cant, B por cent end J pot~

cent and f01' cmmon t2 pa eent, tO par c:.ont and 27 per C911t ln

North t..ekhimsaur, SlbsaQe:r 6ftd DatiSftQ• tS Ttm euorage omua1 in­

crease 1n cufY.l9 l'ate ttmn works out to b8 fOI' man O.par csnt0 o.6t

pe~ cent and Oe2) par cnnt end far women 0.92 pgr ecnt, 1.JO po:r

no polntod aut oorUsr, the flgureo of ( S9t b) ea;o rate of Act lebtJur 1.'131'"0 publlohad onlv fltam t90S.06 cn>.:mrda. TtttJ oomp~lm:~n l9 modo on tho baGi.e of flue yoa~lv eva~tagao an both omso.

- 2t9 -

cant ew.J 2.01 par con\ In ~aorttt &.ekh&mpur, Slbsager end Oertana ~ee­

pectlwly (~nssl• Toble u).

one striking feature common to both oct of flQUHO en tt\o

feet that ccmparod to men the pel'centago of lnc.loon was h1gher An fti:Dlnal

tho caao at caamen•eba;oo u aoll es tt\9 mage ttote. On th3 oth011

hand, the actual wags ftguree for amman ln both caaoe C!ltJIG 1~•

can.,oged to man. Thus, bncavsa of thO lcuer wanes pald to f.liGft9n

*=amtJered to man Um total cm;e bSU was fuftha• recru=scs "'lch bena­

fltod the omployar.

vo shell now examine tho VJflgo data (o,tlclol tlm!:l aerioo) ot

too rJon-Aot lo~. Tttoy wa~ lncreos.lngly ~eple~clng tM Act

lobaurero ond thm process waa ~lated by 1910.19. One of tho

featurao of thoso data ls tttat thO flgutao or t!J89EIO of ~Act

lobo~are ere allghtly hlghar compared to thooo of Act lab,urers.

Ona pasolblo e~lo~tlon could bO thO growing dlfflculty tn 11ocrult­

ing lotmur unc2or Qct VI of ,90, es ita rmtorlaty cema to ba wldolv

known 1n t'ccrultlng dlstrtcte. Tttarofore, the nnOd to offer &119ttt­

ly hl~or wogao Ufttltnt o dlfferoftt contract. Stleondly, to lwo th9

lat»wero• untter '~t:t Kl U ot 10S9, cosh edvancoe woro oftored,

aupconoctly, ca •cmnuo•. Ttto lgnoraneo and 1111teracv or lebourore

ware cleverly GJCJ)lolted ln thl& caso. It sooms tl\o lebcurot'e ~~

given caah a:Jvancee oo •mnus• but an tho conuac\ dacumant (~lttan

in tnalleh) lt moe oont.bnad ao edvancad monoy to be dcductod later

• 210.

on. Tho tnquiry tamm1ttso of 192t•22 H9rmlueed m:me wtteions ot

thaOG conb'act dacurnonto according to mhich the lebaUl'Gl'O contracted

tt\omsolws undfn' Act Kill ot 18!W. It ~uld b3 ~th quoting OntJ

eucrt usrslcn in whlch a leboUror 1:108 to bind tttmsnlt ~ ttereolf to

o psrticuler garden by daularlng tho tolloutlng • "The amount or ony

aduoncs mscta to ma, by the mana;u ln oaah or ottlal'CJlao and tho

pl'lce ot rlce, or env othol' foOd I may r:oceiuo fl'am the garden go.

dOlan ettall be deducted frcm my mont.l\ly aagos 8ftd l chall only b9

entitled to racelua ttm Wanco of my IDOQOO after euch dGducticns

tmve men meu:re.u96 In nono of thoee cmcumants mao there any montton

oV t.tw oc-callGd bonua peymant. Thua1 it appaaro that tho eva!tego

fJllO\Jftt of thaoe ectwncoo mlght ttove bctln oeldod lnto thO suerago cnstt

al£1;9 or non-net labOurers Which obviously intl&ted the tigus.tes or

their ectual oarnlngse

Unlike t!\9 Act labourers there oars rm rulao of flxsd mlnlmla

to provide 'ccncosa1ona• • Nouartholese, the latter mHO aloo contrae•

tad on o long torm baolo end controlled by usually eeprooa1vo penal

lows. neoldee, the Gft1clol reports elGD inclwa the ualus ct maat

such 'ccncossicno' (moont to b9 given to tho Act lab"'VV'Otta) ln tha

flguree of cash wzgee of non-Act leb<lurOI'O• Thorefore, CS tekG ttla

avorago pre ocr 1bnd m1n1mUiD sages to~ non-Act lobm.lr (~. 5.50 foy men

end ~ 4.50 tor G~Dmen) as ::~ur boa ten thO purooso or analysing tho

- 22t-

~~e dnto of nan-Act labour ln tho thfQO dl~trlcts. Tho mtnlmum

mage figures fo• child letmur CJS cay eSS\IDa to tao ~ '•50• ln ordor to mclntaln ths unlfol'mlty ln tt\9 mathnd of analyais

wo shoU, e' ln th9 cor;o of Act letxwr, baQln Glth th9 deta an

nominal UJS;os or non-1\c' lobOUD, loGo sat a. T eblG 5.8 chows the

wog0 figures of non-Act latmuro~o (c:alculatad on tha baolo ot number

or letmurors on tho bot)lco) ln N01'th &.akhiSDvr, Slbsagar and Dsreng

betwasn tCJDO end t925-26o 91 Those tiguroe ere visually p~ojsctsss

ln fiQurflo '•4• 5oS and 5.6 for Rorth &.akhtmpur, Sitm&Qor end Danong

re~ectlvol 'I•

fltsn 1a eogea in ell throe dletrlct& betGJSen t9DD end tho baQlnn­

lng or tiorld \tar I romalnod otegnant with a tonttency to dacllnoo Ttm

1ncroaoa during certeln vearo ln north Lakh~ut end Slbaagar aaa

vary margtnol. Boo1doe1 tho magee or man, wCL'ten and ChllcUten, dld

Mt con fore to thm everoQO mlnlmun eega tlgul'Oa dur 1fto mn&t or tt'tG

yeora batweon 1900 end 19t4 (exaept man's v:ag.ao ln Slbsagor)o In

fact, chlldren1o wagoa rarely conform to tho ave~ogp proscrlbad

minimum d~lng thG eal'ly ttm cmcedoa. world wu 1 and post--.aar

pe~lcd altnosoed 1ncr0au in tho nominal eJnges of labour farco. re

oxample, batwoan 19t4-1' amJ 1929-26 t.h9 increase in men•a !US(lno 0aa

51 par cent, 45 par cent and 42 par cant jnd ln ummsn'o wages » per

cont, :56 par cant and )7 por cont 1n NDI'th &.eJd,tmpur, Slbsagu end

Aaaao &.obour Reports d1d n~t pub!lah Gaga tlguroo of non-Act lebourere based on total number of lcbourore an the gorcfen bOoko aftor 1929-26.

-222-

oerang Respsctlwlv. ChUMen•a VJ2Q08 lncrGoeed elgnlflcanUv onlv

in tho post-wu par~. In oll ttm tttreo dlotrlcts tho oego flguree

for oU thu thtao Gategorlsa of laboam fAln thO hl;Mot 1ft tho third

daccdO (Table 9.6.and flgureo 9.4, 9.9 and 9.&).

Tho ovoroll psrcontana or lncrcaso in the nominal wags& eppaotto

to b9 feblv impreaolva lf ono c:omparaQ thO avara;eo of 19Q0.1904-09 c4th

that of ,92,•22•1925-26. Th1& lG putleulCI'ly tJO In thO cnsa or

QIOJllQll end children. ror oxnmplo, trt0 ouorall wQge 1ncnaae for l'ften

mae 56 per cont, 50 per eont and 59 par cent, for women e6 pctt cont,

a' por cent end 102 per cent, and for chlldnn 82 per cent, 9' pu

cent end 108 per cent in North &.okhJmpur • s lboagcm and oaruong ro.,.

pactlwlr during tha col'~espnndtn;J period. tto1110uor1 e elOG&J: scru-

tiny of Table 5e9 etill show ttmt auch high parcontege of lno~aese

waa duo to hl~ rlourae c:twlng Uto post-~=ld w~ I period. ra

eaemplo, b9tcloan 1900 and 191 J-14 the 1ncroen ln tho ~ or man of

no onlr 6 pol' cent, ' per eont,bamun " per cont, 20 por can\ and

'6 por cont, and or chUdren 12 par cent, ' ' per cent end 21 par c:ent

ln Rorth Lekhlmpur, Slboagat and Datttang rospoctlvelV• Mon'e wa;es

1n oenang sctually C::acl.tnacs by U pat cant ~lng the ccrreopomtlng

period. "orGouar, aa pOinted out eotllor, oll Uta tMtse cotagorlae

of lebouroro UJDI'Ot evan f~ ttta point of vloo of latmw lava, baing

undar.paid ln most of tha ~e~e dwlng 1900 end 19t,.14. And thlo

fact lo N)t raftactod ln tho calculation of ovarall parcontGQa ot

increase. An avan moro cruclol ClWStlon to t.m anamerod le wtaothd

oven tho OVOI'all pal'ccnt.e;e of lnaracso moant an lnct'Caao ln tl\o

TAfU 5.8

.xaa£1x A,JIIBAA'..Sf.liae&n~& J4gn.tf!l.!LtiJW!a if B!'n-n.s.L~a~ a!J!Q.tc,,a

A!t~~=~=:a~~~~~ gg&41!!\Jm!!S.'J !A FS..-b ~!is~ §,lmtMJL.ElQ!l !!WI!Da

P.Am.!d! -,.J!cHb_ I ~~ • ~"&""""' II • - i>i?W!ll. •• Year Aan trt=:en Children Aen women Children Men wcreen ChUcSten l'ts. ~. b. lt9e ~Q~. ~. i:le P.J. ~.

1900 ~.4J J.6J 2.JO s.as 4.17 2.50 ~.92 J.67 2.38

'9t)'6 !l.21 )eSV 2.2, ~.,, J.,"/8 2.46 5 .. 06 s.56 2.44

,902.0) 4.65 J.4Ct 2.st ~.o, ,.67 2.St 4.64 JeSb 2e44

t90~4 ~.DJ ».44 2.22 4.~ '·'' 2.42 4.11' ,.cv 2.56

1904-05 S.2, 3.44 2.15 4e9S '·" 2.46 4.69 ,.JO 2.2)

19DS.06 ~.16 ,.07 2.1fJ ~.10 v.9t 2.42 r..JA 4.16 2.S9

1906-07 s.59 4.no 2.27 ~.65 4.21 2.5, s.2s e.o6 2.5?

1907...QS s.ta 4.09 2.4, ~.~, 4e29 2.51 4.96 e.1a 2.59

,900-09 ~.19 ).96 2o1S '·'' 4.)2 2.52 s.os 4.1? 2.65

tgo9-10 s.cn 4.44 ~.4) ,., a.va 2 .. 62 s.o, 4.42 2."19

t91U.11 s.46 4.,9 :t.l\0 5.19 4.5'7 2.79 4').39 447? 2.62

1911•12 S.j? 4e45 2.49 :;.11 4.50 a.se 9e6b ~.02 2.80

1912-1) ,.6t 4.64 2.54 6.0, 4.15 ?.95 9.0, 4.94 2.76

t9t:S.14 s.?J 4.n 2 .. 59 5.99 5.00 2.e, s.!l, ~.em 2e91

1914-19 ,.64 !io10 2.57 &o22 s.i\, 2.:50 So96 5.~ ).01

t91!1-16 6.10 !io54 2.99 5.20 s.,au ,.oo 'loVO 9.6o- ,.20 t9'i6-17 6o44 s.99 ).10 6oC7 ~.)4 2.04 ,.?e 9.81 '·"' 19t1a10 6eS2 ,.66 ,.o? 6.24 s.oa J.os 6.09 '·" '·2' ,918-19 6 .. 46 5.95 J.~ 6.16 ~., ,.,, 5.24 s.71 ,.2)

1919-20 6.69 6.oo ,.45 6oB9 ~.n6 '·s' &.78 6.8$ ,.'11 192il-21 6.47 , .. 26 4.00 7.0, s.9, '·" '·'' &.79 ,.94

•••

Wot'h t..akbimpw 5ltle~a. oanang Va® Ran M~n Children Man ~cmon Ch11cf1ten Man women Cblldcen

~rg. es. R!. ~ ~. 0J. ~ ~. ~

1921•22 '·'' 6e29 J.92 ?e61 6.42 4.0, 1e29 6.J2 '·92 1922•2' 1.?2 6.JB 4e0t 1.9t 6.,, 4.J9 7.9J ?.oo 4.00

t92J-24 '·'' 6.50 4.,, o.tJ 7.oa 4.$9 7.69 6.01 4.29

t924-29 &.10 6.90 4e19 a.~ 7.17 4.70 Oe14 7.14 4.)0

1929-26 e.a, 6.89 4e28 9.02 ?.42 4.84 o.46 ?.JB 4.eo

Note • 1) Flguroe ro~ 19Dt ln '-*"~ur see ere lliOiked out atJ th9 awrogo ot one p•eceedlng and ana succoOdlng yo&l'l

U) figures or UltlQOS ftlt' mamen in Oetcng dleUlct fo~ tte ~ t9tS.16 oortcod 0\4 or ano prseoodtng and ono oucced-lng yea.

SOUl'CO I twm &,s'W'! RWJKtft tor tteapoctlva yoo~o.

YEARLY AVERAGES OF NOMINAL MONTHLY . . WAGES OF NON-ACT LABOURERS IN THE

DISTRICT OF LAKHIMPUR 1t.OO - 1925- 25

9~---------------------------------------------r

8

1

lll4 UJ C) c( ~ .

3

2

·1

YEARS

Fig..-5·4

MEN---­

WOMEN~ CHILDREN~

9

8 ·

7

6

'iii t 5 a. :J a: .5 ..... en 4 UJ I!)

~ 3

z

I I 0

8 0 ~ ~ ~ ~

YEARLY AVERAGES OF NOMINAL MONTHLY WAGES OF NON-ACT LABOURERS IN THE

DISTRICT OF SIBSAGAR 1900-1925-26

'MEN ~

WOMEN~ CHILDREN II - K

Fig-5·5

•..

YEARLY AVERAGES OF NOMINAL MONTHLY \NAGES OF NON-ACT LABOURERS IN THE

DISTRI CT OF DARRANG

9.---------------------------------------------~

2

I I 0 .... 0 0 ~ ~

N

I .... ~

YEARS

~ ;:l I ,.!, ' \'!! ;i

~ ~ 112

Fig-S~

MEN WOMEN 0 0 0 ·o 0 CHIL.DREN lf • '( ~

~ - .... · ~ ~ .... N ~ 11'1 1)1 N N

I I I I 0 I I I I

IQ " ~ Ill ~ ~ C"' ~ .... N N N

~ ~ ~ (71 (71 ~ iD .... .... ...

~ lQ (71 ...

I I I I

I

---- -'

- 22!>-

mgatlvo ea we ehall ehow ot o later stOC}Oe And Vlnolly, tm tlgu­

rce ot wagoe ot no~ot labour ere not ma17e canh aarn1ngg tut tttoso

lnclwect, es tn tm cusn of Act lelmurol'e, tha uBlU& o9 sutmlotance

allowances, diot 01' rflltlcno end M.~S earn1nqe (Table s.e). In

otheJz> wt)J'da, t.h1) ect.ual cesh earnlnga eould tiS st.Ul 1~ than

thot\e glwn ln th9 a!=va table •

.-;e ofl311 n~ oacamins the uato en uai!QO L'at.a o1' 'potential'

eunlngo (sot b) of nun-Aot loi»\Rero 1n the t11:111o d1stu1cts. Appon-

dlx l'oble Ul elUJW8 tho yaavly awrGQaa of' mon"'lv lliGQGS or nof)otAct

lebaurore (calculated on the beola of dally ctO~ld~ oksngt.h) in

North Lakhlmpm•, &l~ar erm Dsrang. 98

f'10n•o umQS l'ato ln o11 trw ,ttu-ue dlotricta rmaainad stagnant

clth a tGndancv to daclw ba~t100n 1ros-n6 and 191,...14. woman's

end ehUcktan'o lflSQO tato, on tho ottw~ handt tlhatumd upwutd rnawmnt

mal'kcad by minor da\llflma~d fl~tunt1a."'l3 dufin; thB corresponding pol'lod

ln all tha thrao dlstr1cta. Ttw Ytre ~-ea~c EUcilet-Aeru:sd mllght 1n.

l'Gta for men wwa 21 P31:' cant, 1 J par cwnt 21M 19 per c:ant, fer w=mon

40 pol' cent, 24 par cent end '6 Ptl~ cent 1n rlot'th Lekt\t.q,urt Slboegor

The fl\luns or yoely awraQ"s or IQ)nthly waggs (ca.lcvlatad on de.Uy wnrlt1f1ti e~th) woro pub11of\od 1n nesnm Law.m Report& only ham 1909-D& 01\llUmd•

-226-

end Darren; reopcctluuly.99 Chlldcen•e ~age rates fluctuated eharoly

dsming the oocrecspondint;t porlod end only from 1914-15 et\om ma~t<ed

signs of ccmslotoncv In moat casas. Ttul lncreasa 1ft wa;o r6tee

oot~en 1921•22 entt 1929-SO a:ao for men 24 par cant, 17 per cant end

J? par cant, for tm)1':18n J4 par cont,16 per cent and 2S per cant and

for chUdren J1 pe~t cant, 28 per cent end 96 par cont ln North Lakh!m­

pur, SlbsBl}Em end D~J.'eng respoctlvaly.100 1'tl9 wage rate for ell the

thr4!9 categorlea of non-Act lebDurerGt hOiD9Wl't docU.nao etumply in

fol1ot:1lng tao yoaro afttJr 1929-:sD. The \JSQO rote dDCllnad ln the

caae of maA by t6 per cant, 7 por cant and 15 per cant, for ~n

bV 24 par cant, 11 por c:ont ern1 15 par cent end ctiUctNn'e by 20 per

cent• J por cent end 6 per cent 1n North Lekhlmpw, Slbaagel' eftd

Dtn'l'eng rcopsctlvely. One feature ccm=on to all uu1e that the figures

of IIJQOO rato reached tho hlgtmst dul'lng tho lest yaol'a or third ctacec!e

(eH AppendlJC Tabla Ul) •

Aftor reaching the peat< dLJltlng tm late 1920e ttm ~P'COM'e"te

n•lnal cuagea ae well oe the vm;e rato rogleterad a ot\altp decline ln

the 1930e. Apqt bom t.m docroaae In ~ea th9 l®our force eee

aloo CSOpl'lWd of a~atut01'y "protactlont' altl\ tho final repaol of Act

Ul of 190t. Tt\a nowly passed la=w 1Q91olatlon ( tf\9 Tea Dletrlct

tmlgrent Lebow Act Xltll ot 19J2) • .,toh coma lnto aftoct tn Octobol'

19JJ, lllDS mainly eoncernsd mlth tt\9 procaea ot labour rocrultmant

99 r1w voorlv suerc;aa on tu»th endS rom the ba&le of thls compa­"ieon.

tOO In tna casa of eomen'o magB rate ln Dor~cng we have taken V<B8f 1922•2) aa b;,se to calculate the parcant.flga of lncnaaa.

• 2a?.

and theie Journay up to tms tao cJiotrlcte. Thcn'O more no proulelons

1n U\o not~J latbUJI lo" to deal mlth ccnd1Uons of llulng o~ wa;oa ln

tho tea dlevlcte. Under tho now loglslatlon the !Dbau:r torca was

eatogorlaed u •oattled' and ,(eU!£ 01' !?apl lo~f#• ' 0' Qoeldas, tha

cteonceoslcms0 core n!) lon;a~ the etatumv obl1Qotlon tor the plan­

tors. HGwswr, ttto annual roporto on emlg.t'ont lsbow publlol'IGtJ by

tho Contlollor of tmlgl'ant Latmsr, create confusion by tttalr cantre­

cJlctorv ro~rttno. In eomo taaro the roports montloned that the

valuo of "ccsncooslano" lncludod ln tha flguroo of cosh \111Jgee shUe

ln others lt was pointed out that ~ut from trm ceah wa;oe the

lef)a~ eupplemonted ltD income out of vulous 'concoaalcna' offered

ln the tea dlstrlcts.

Oosplte the eanfuolan lt mas cloorly etetod that tha practlce

of giving cubsldlsad ration ln the form or rico eold at eoncoeolonal

prkcto had boon done eamy talth b=ouso tho lebourG~ro dld not "appre­

clatG" lt. 102 Secondly lt wsa eleo ecknOUJlettged that tho u:aseo tDGl'S

detcnaalng mainly bocauss of ttno plw:tclnQ and econamv an tt\t3 pet

of tho employers. 10

' In the cesa ot .Ys.sf& ounlnga Rego conflrmad

tn 1946 thot l ta valua hod baon lnclUd0d ln th9 .:BQ9 flqurss Qlvan

tn ennuol offlclel r~ta.t04

101 Fol" tvrtmr ctatello sao Cheptel' 111.

102 fJmtL AS! (XII ot 19J2), 19~, P• 12 end 19J9, P• 9.

10J t!D?§b J!S\ (XXII ot ,9J2), 19JS, P• 19e

104 Rego, 89aEUa~ P• 46e

-228-

estasan t926-27 ems 1932•JJ th& date an t.t\8 ncm1nel utOOfSI!I ot

tGa geoon labovJt tor eech dlst~lct "" not publlehlld 1ft tho nosam

Lomw Aaporto. HOlDSver, es easu:no that the trend af nomlnal waga

(calculated on thG baola or tot&l numbar ot leboure~o en tho Qardan

bODJcs) 0ould ttauo been prq,ortlonnte to the' of t.ha UJS(JO rats (baSad

on dally morklnQ obcngth). f"OI' tile latter again wo hove tlguros

only upto t9M•»• Those t&Qureo (ApCJOftdlx fablo VI) ehOID conntant

upwud movoment or I!IB(P rate 14)to 1929-JD (which~ aeQla) must have

been uuo in the cese of ncmlnal e~agoa) tolloustt by a eh~p declln8

!n the aoly t9~a. wa hauo date en nominal CJQ9Bs far thO Aasam

Valley DB 8 aholO fltC!D 19~ onmat-da• ~a etloll hOUSBVSI't U!lS theea

flQures only far 19,fl•M parlad b3cttuae ~om t9!J4 Oftl:lal'da the annual

eeporte of tf\9 'onteoller ot EmlQJl!ftt LebolJ1t publlehad I!WCh data for

each dloblct ospaauly. Table 9.9 ctuws the namlnal '""t.hly esgos

(calculatod en t.tm baGls ot total number of lobaUl"Ol't.t on gudan boake)

ln thO Rssnm Uolloy betaman 19!50-" end 19,..,5.

Year

19JO·st 19)1eJ2 t9J2•JJ 19JJ-M 1924--25

t4.0, t2.,, u.?9 7.47

'·'8

10.79 9.94 e.98 9.90 9.46

?.29 6.90 6.42 4.22

'·''

-229-

Ttta obovo teblo at1u12n rapid cfat)llna ln magots cttmlno the first

holt of 19JOo. r.ten•e ~a cfoollned by 49 per C9nt, wmen'e by 49

per cant end chUdren'e by 94 pet- cant ln thO Aeaam Valley baboen

19)0.,, and 19)4-Jt.

ow anolyols or tho mago data for thO pGrlcd 19J4-47 01Ul move

on thO eamo llnao u CJ& haw ctanu in the cast) of Act and non-Act

labour earlle~t l.e., (1) official tlmD serlao on nt1mlnal wages

(calculotad an the baala of totol n\Pbar ot labmll'oro on the garden

bOol<e) em ast (a), end (U) potential wa;a or cogt! cate (calculated

on ctaUv eorklng atmngth or eat (b)). 106

Table 9.10 ahoua the wage flgurao (calculated on tho basis of

total n~.~nbar of labowers on tha gecfOn bodes) of eottled la~ in

the throe dlst~lcts between 19J4 and 1945. lhlitsa tlgurao an vle•

.ually p:ojacted on F'lguroa S.?, 9.0 and 5.9 far La'«himpUl't Slbsage

end Derrong ra~tlvoly.

In the pre~ot-ld u~ J I porlod men's and chlld1'on•o aages

botuean 19)4 and 1930 remei.Md ata;nant with o tendency to ctecllnB 1n

ell threo dlatvlcto (In Slbaogmr thlo uond contlnuad •11 Into the

\!18'1 yoors). wcmen•a e~agos l'emalnod ete;nant ln SlbaBQBI' end Osl'ang

though tttara was ellQJ\t lncramae ln Lckhimpu.r during tho co~>~eepandlng

106 Ttta annual roporta of tho Controller ot tml9J:ent Labo~ publl­aflad tho wage tiguros tor the district co a whole end not for seporato aub-dlvlolona aa wao th3 practice in the ear11ee lobDUr l'SI)Grtt:h

TABI.t 5.10

r

Year Lakhimpur Sibaagar Darrang

1934 8.10 6.0~ 4.57 7.16 6.18 4.23 6.~7 4o90 3.42

193~ 8o28 6.31 4.11 6.43 5.03 ~.53 6.23 4.~2 ).48

1936 8.29 6.69 4.~7 6.59 5.28 1.93 6.37 4.47 3.07

1937 8.28 6.72 4.85 6.71 5.60 4.03 6.68 4.90 3.33

1938 8.69 6.71 4.81 ~.03 ~.~4 3.9~ 6.79 4o89 3.43

1939 9o37 7.72 ~.16 6.72 5.91 4.37 7o23 5.2~ 3.92 1940 9.01 7o09 ~.oo 6.62 5.96 4o34 7.73 5.75 3.93 1941 9o31 7.~9 ~.33 7.04 5.96 4.37 7.79 ~.62 4.03 1942 9.0~ 8.08 5.75 8.83 6.95 5.12 8.12 6.33 4.92 1943 10o32 8.20 ~.82 8.09 7.02 5.19 6.96 4.72 4.35 1944 10.46 8.47 5.97 9.33 7.80 6.14 8.95 7.04 4.82 1945 8.39 8.70 6.21 9.09 5.96 5.41 8.76 6.56 5.39 1946 N 0 T A. v A. I L A. B L E

1947 16,56 13.60 9.1~ 11.30 9.12 7.54 15.42 10.71 7.72

· $0URCEI ADIU!al BIU~2dli 20 ~hg !st:tk!ng 2 f Iii!! Ill §t;a:iet E!!!ig;r;ll n$ L11bsuu: 6Si$ (XXII of 1932) for respective years.

...

10

9

8

7

~ 6 .. ~ & .s 5 .... 1/'1 UJ I!) 4 4( 3:

3

2

YEARLY AVERAGES OF NOMINAL MONTHLY WAGES OF SETTED LABOURERS

ON THE TEA ESTATES IN LAKHI~ ·-·UR 1934-1945

. MEN

WOMEN • • CHILDRENO 0

• 0

0+---r---.-~r--.---.---.--~--.---~--r---~ en

m ~ N !3 -t Ill -t '#, -t en Ill en .... .... .... ....

YEARS

Fig...S·7

I q 'I I

• ""'/ I '· .

)_ -- --

10

9

8

7

~ 6 41 a. :I a: 5 .!: .....,

3

2

0 ~ In ...., ...., 01 01 .- ....

YEARLY AVERAGES OF NOMINAL MONTHLY V'/AGES OF SETTLED LABOURERS

ON THE TE .\ ESTATES IN SIBSAGAi~

1934 -19l.5

ID "" 01) tJ) 0 .... ...., ...., ...., ...., ...: . ...: ~ 50 01 ~ ~ ~ ...

YEARS

Fig-5-8

MEN WOMEN •I --11..___.. CHILDREN o...--~o>----~0

M ~ -.: 1/'l ~ ...: -.: 01 01 en en ... ... ... ....

12

11

10

9

8

7

6 ~ ~ . .. ..

a. ~ s .s ....

' 2

0 -4 M CJI -

., i

YEARLY AVERAGES "OF · NOMINAL MONTHLY WAGES OF SETTLED LABOURERS

ON THE TEA ESTATES IN DARRANG 1934-1945

i ,... .-:0 CJI 0 - N M

~ M . ., M -4 ..., -3 ..., Sl1 ~ l!! CJI en en ~ ... ... -

YEARS

Fig-5-9

i '

i· I

i

., ·-1 SZ1

-,,, -po!~iode The wo~ld ~a» U o:.QJorlonccd Vluctuatlng torufenclao ehlch

veted ,.,am dlstrlct to district. ftw owrell lncreoso 1n thO nomi­

nal tmgoo bot~nan 19~Ja end 1941-4S 107 tor men esaa 14 por cent, ''

par cent ond 24 pot cent, for aamen lt ~so 26 par cant, 22 per cant

end 28 per cant and tor children lt c:zea 27 par cent, '' por cent and

41 par cont ln Lckhtmpur, 51bsegor end Oarrang eeapoctlvol y (Tabla

5e10 end rtgurao s.?, s.e and 9.9).108

Tm ye~ 1947 shosJ8 e maaslve Jump 1.n IDGQO ftgu:ao of ell tho

cotogorieo ot labour ln oll tho thrGS dlotrlctse Tho labow repute

offer no OJQlanatlon for this swtcmn and unusuallv hiQh rata of

lnareaoo in waoos. O~o•e teport in 1946 po1ntod out that m­

causa e vary hlQh &ncret~sG ln pr1cos of foodstuff end othor noceeat­

tlea tho lndlon Tea AasoclaUon laswd tmavlly Gubsldlsod ration end

ottmr naceso1t1es to the labour forco fram October, 1946 onurardo. He

eot1matod that 2? per cent of a letnlw family's inc~ ln Aasea Ualley

cmcruad hem thD dlfteronco bateeen tho prlcao charQSd fo~ tho ccmnc­

dltloe sold and tho prlcos a:hleh tho U~ortc~e wuld haw to pay ln the

open marttst. 109 rurttaarmtJro, ftom 15th february, 1947 on~:erds, ea o

~asult of tt\9 Trtputlto CanfGrence umi&::h took place in Jonuary 1947

taotwaen tha Goverf1Cl0nt or lndla, ~e:»roaentetlveo of th9 letaourors end

plentora, tho ITA ctooldad to glva an interim Deornase rJ.loUJance of

107 ,947 baing an extreme voor 1\aa been eJClwtsd and figuroo tar 1946 ee ru3t avaSleblo.

109 ror tha purpooa of comparloon flue yaavly owraggs frcm bOth oncso have man u~ es tho bae1e.

2 ennao and ~ anne c day pott edult and ~ child ~ospectlvoly dong

e1th the ceolt wsgos.110 It ce accgpt that those addltlons ore ln­

cluctod ln wage figures ttton lt ca.n. pet:hapa• explain tha unusual

lncroesa in tJagea in 1947. ttcwoue~, the CantJollor•e l'eport dous

not cent1on any such additions ln tha wago f!Quroo.

However, Oesttpando's ea~1mato of e lebo&m falla11y er:u:nlngs on

dobotabla. H1a onalpl$ ot o earoplo S6tl lebour famUy budgets in

Res~~ Uollov chows that ln an &VQragg fern11Vt con~lat ot 4.1s mam­

~ro, ths waekly earniftt.)G from tho omployr.ront ot 2.44 lifO!king mar:­

bsve was~. 10.82.111 In otha~ urordo, tha overagEa monthly enmlngs

of 2.44 umtc1ng paroons of o latlour family (lncludlng mon, ellDSR and

children) wsn t:D. 4Je2S. Thaos flguroo lncludod conh magt~s, the

monoy uclw af .Mass. earnlnyee doornaso ollowanco, 'concosslons' ond

Joint income of tho family ~om oourcoo o~ than employment 1n

tea gardons.''2 Tha ebOVS flgurea are much higha~ comparod to the

flgut'Ga publlahad in t.ha eont~oUoJ1 of tml.grant Laboul' 'a Report ta.

t947. rol' oxample tho avaraaa ecmblnact m12nthly eam1nge of e man,

woaen tmd child oorko cut to tlfJ Rse S9e)1 1n Le:tdtlq)ur, 'D. 27.96 ln

Slbsag~. and Rs• ,,,.95 in oarreng. ,,, And ttwea tlQutGa, ca polntod

out omrller, wore eMtremaly h~ comp~Gd to tho wego figures of

any pl'svious ya~ prior to 1947.

110 l!!!.!Mif!n '=as~ vn,ar Peek' 1946, P• ,,4. Ut Oa~ancfat 9.Qe&M.u P• me

U2 .tb\d..u Appsndb XIV, ,,. en. ,,, sao Toble 5.1o. Alao aao abOVOt PP• 2~,.;.~ os-.

Mcma .Rpts,Qt §&Wpl Lp1pm

tto shall new ennlyao tho ctsta on tliS(Ja vate o• •suatcntlol' eun­

inge or •aetUod' lotmur~ne ln the th!oa dlavlctt.le Appendix Table

uu ohowG the yaorly auerago of manthly cua;o rates or esttled lotmur

(calculated on tM taanle or doUy marking oUongth) ln Ul13 dletl'lcts

or LGtchimpw, Sl~~ end Darl.!ang. Tf\o mage rato bctwean 19J4 end

1940 in ell tho t~Utee dlat~lcta rem oll ~oo categorlos or leboweto

fluctuated but an tho attolo romalnod etagnant (tho mln:m oxcopt1on

oro man'o oaga rate ln oa~rang and QHJD&n1o ~ rate ln Lotchlmpur).

Tho ttorld wu II l)dlod wltnoaGSd a ggmral ugward movement .. or wego

rato. Tho over•all lncmaoe 1n wage rato batg:aon t9l4-J9 and '941•

1949 wee for mon 14 par cent, 21 par cant end 26 pu cant, r~ wnman

2t por cont, " par cent ones 2• ~ cent and for ChUdran 22 pett cant,

19 p~ cent end 2J par cant ln LekhtmpUl', Slbaagu end o.ueano respee­

tlvaly (AppendS. Tablo Ull).

Fram tho obCNe malyscs of cna;a dote ttto follf»lng broad tronds

omttrQOI estweon t900 end tha outbreak of WOl'ld war 1, tho magos of

eU cataQtWloa of labourers ofton did not conto:m to tho etetuta»y

mlnimtln flgu:ee ln aU t.f\9 wos cJlsulcta. The wago tended to dec•

lln9 os- roca&nocs ate9nant e..s the ovol'oll lncraeca, evan ln excap.

tlonal casas, cas verv 1nslgniflcent. Tno wagoo mowd upmo.ttd eluting

tho llemlCS war I pel'lode And doaplta thO fluctuaUano at thO Gnd of

tha wa1' yoare GJCgt)s contlnuad to r.-loe. Tho third cSecadO oxpe~tlomtod

a ateedy ~OG9 end wagoo roached tha h.lghoot ln moot casas by the

end of tho 1920s. They began to docllno ua~y oherply ~CD 1930 on-

- 2J4-

esardo. one poaolblG reason tor thls docllnta ~3 tho =~ld wldtJ

depeesolon or thB early t9:50s Qlhan the employo~e cu~ wageo. The

dacllm waa a=ca1e17atetJ by t.tD lnto17natlomt1 Tea Conttal Ghich came

into •11aUon 1n 19JJ-J4. Tho ccnvol raatl'lcted p~cwuctton ~lch

reavltad ln ttm nductifsn of vzartc and conseqWntlv ar labourers•

ee•n~QI•''4 Tho plentete futthe~ dsp~eeccd tha wagsa by lncroaotno­

ly employing ttm aurplua or ll,lb {1uJ9\Ja) lebntm 1n '9JOD oms 1940s.11'

Tho croQt"e paid to thle typa or labaUl' wre lct.rm~ ccxaz,ued to the

ovo~aoa oarnlnao of SGttlsd lobolm. Toblo 9-'U attaws the ovo~BQO

~ntt\lv armnlnga of IAl&M u Aao,llebour ln LeSchlmpw1 Slbaagcr and

Osreng dlsUtcts. n eampuloon of I.'JSlJG r&gureo in Toblo Sett elth

tha ~ge flguroo ln Table 9e10 mlll strengthen o~ atgum&nt.

Tho maoes recovered by ttte baglnnJng of the Socond wo~ld ti~

and EJH;lOt-lancod an upU181'd movement thou;h they ccntlnusd to fluctuate.

Komovor1 tho masoive J.ep in tho flguHa ham 1949 to 1947 wan th8

meat baffling teaturo of mego lncroaao mttlch took pleee during snd

arw thB Second World \tJEm• 8flolctcs, ot this Jurtntu!G it oec.m&

approprlote to oak d\ethe., the perricdteol in=reoae ln :.

nnmlnal CJt19De ~eprosent.Ctd a proportionate lm2eeao in th9 reol Gagoo

or tha laboam torco ln the Assam Valley tea oercsana. Tha anamu to

thlo quoaUon involves e etudv or lavel and coat of tho atendOfd of

llvlng of labour f01'co cturlnQ tho eonoapondlng p®lild• And thle in

ltoolf 1o o ecq,1Jcatod problem.

115 Sao C~te~ 111 Table 2e6t P• 15.

TABLE 5.11

Yea ae

---------- ·-·- -------_1___ _ ___ _. ______ 0___________ - . - -· 1-==-------------::...:.:.:: LA KH mp Uit !> I"'!':A-:;A R . nA !lilA Nr, ·

YEAR

. !-;;;----;;~~~ _:~~ldren _1-~~-n---~~~~~==-~~~~~~~~=~~i=-~~~====~~~e~-==~hi::::~----/lc. ~- /ls.. ~-- iJ.. p_,. !i~- lA. l;.

1934 5.28 4.86 2.91 3.73 4.32 2.47 4.05 3. 73 2.54

1935 "4,52 4.80 2.83 4.45 4.39 2.85 4.78 4.0!3 2.13

1936 . 4.80 4.91 2.96 4.44 4.39 2.74 4.90 4.24 2.99·

1937 4.76 4.65 3.39 4.32 4.28 2· 93 4.98 3.89 2.38

1938 4.88 4.92 3.42 4.55 4.58 4.05 5.09 3. 86 2o52

1939 4.98 5.69 3.60 4.63 5.21 3.42 5.92 4. 53 . 2.!34

1940 4.84 5.53 3. 59 4.83 5.15 3.53 5.74 4.86 3.08

1941 5.22 5.89 3.42 4.44 5.19 2.71 5.22 4.98 2.77 .. 1942 6. 59 6.61 3.60 5.51 5.06 3·8·2 5.90 5.27 3o3l

1943 6.40 6.21 4.08 6.05 6,20 3. 73 6.98 5.02 3.52

1944 7.27 6, 71 3.97 7.10 6.43 4.60 8.01 5.!3Q 4.05

1945 6.78 7.27 4.08 7.69 6. 75 3.93 7.77 5.48 3.79 -~

1946 N 0 T A v A I L A B L E 1947 10.19 10.39 6.47 9.48 9.41 5.76 13.35 9.23 5.39

---- ---------------------------------------- -----NOTE: The yearly averages were based on the earninqs of two months i.e., March and

September for each year.

SOURCE a Annuil .. LR~P.2J:i.L2.!L!.hJ:..-r!Q.X.!!i!!51_Q.f_Ie_ll!§.!.x!£Ls!J!igF..2..!!!_b!! bQ._!tt_~.ct ( Y'< II of 1932) r for resp_cctive' years.

• 2J6.

Before CIA) egt about farmulatlnQ the cost of ltvtno lnde• of

tGa gerdon labCMX~~ra lt &aUl b9 en lnteroeting GJt9tclse to ~aro

thsu wagso wlth thOsa of egl'lcultural lab:Jvltoro mD!ttlng outslda thG

plentatlono. Tho ovldenca on thls le vm~v llmlted end tttos 1e nD

c;av of axtrnlntng lts eecuracv. MoJeouer wa do net knoo d\athsr tM

ttguree avaUeble ropl'Osent on auaragg of mJD!Int of montt\9 or ttts

poalc ooeaon. ~vu a oaDpal:leon of two eota of flguree cr egtle

cultural lebnuto~e' wages mtth tMao ot toa gal'cfen lebaut~o ehOa

that 1rt tho ccso ot Ute fOJma~ wages were much higher • Tha fkot

aet of theso flgurao vsno publlehad ln tho Prleeo end wasco 1n Indio

eorlea taotwen tcmn and t911. Ttulso fl;uroo IB91'0 coq,Ued flom the

dlstrlct offlclolo end tht.Jy repreaentcHS ttto ovora;os of the ~oced­

lng ol• months' c:sagoe. t1f> Tho oacnnd S9t of magoo of euoh letaour

tDSta publleh9d 1n nqo•o ~epo~t for tho ya~ 1944e AcCO'rdlno to

th19 tho dolly magee pold to e~lcUltural lobouraro teft(JSd batGI01lft

U? ~. ,.so to~. 2e00 ln Lekhimpur and~. o.vs to lt9e t.2S 1ft Slttsagor.

lhasa sot of tlg~aee, ci.'I!JS)ared to tho maminnl Gages of teo gel'cfen

lebcurore (Teblo 9etO), sttam that wageo of agricultural lebouro~e

outolde tha plentatlona CIOIO much hlgt\G»•

AD leto eo 1946 Rage reportod tttat t.ttare ~no oftlclel coat

or llvl.ng lndax for thm whole provlnce of Asaem. At that tlme et~u

1t6 Pl.lSRizS!ld.M!WJfL\nJOS!lA• '9tO, P• 179•

t t7 AOtJOt SJitaSlta,t Pt 96.

• 2S1•

TABI.£ 9.12

LCf!t'AMAtnm .fin~a vaa'x A~ af am~x ~~ sat e~ld ~~!em:.!&~ li!l !iFBJ!Gil ~~·

Q.!Bt&\91, 18

m I I • I t . &iiiiiiiiiiiiiilii iiii:iiiii Yeu a,. Act Ncn-~tct

fh Qt.

t9UD e to tt , .• 9.4,

1901 9 to 12 s.s? s.2t

t9D2 9 to 12 5.~ 4.69

19D' 9 to 12 .5.29 s.oJ

1904 10 to 12 9.~, 9.21

1909 8 to 12 , •• 2 9.76

1906 e to to 9.2, 9.59

190? 8 to 10 ,.,, '·'8 19GB 8 to 10 t.04 '·'' 1909 e to to s.4o '·" t9tO e to to 9.64 9.40

fDOre mac» to otol't femllv bUd'QGt onQU1riae by tho Direct® of Cost

or LlvlnQ llld.s• scheme ln eomo d1ot~lcts oV ttla p~ovlnca. " 9 How-

•

-250-

over, in the plantation ereoa evan thle type of Gnquby ooa not

und~&0ken. Aoge obs&~uad that "••• tho obsgnca of en euthol'lte­

tlvo cont or living 1ndea ln Aoaam makeo lt tlft&cult to eoasaa

accurately tho tell ln real waoQs or the;, plantatlcn cowers." 120

Tho ea.tl19&t attempt to properly caftduct such en enqvuy ~a• made

only ln t947 end lt waa c:onductad by s.n. DeshpendO or th8 &.Gbo.a

Bureau of tho Gowrnmant of lndle•

The otrlclol raporto an th9 emlgr~nt labour In Assam dlile

publ1Qhlng tha f1guroe or earnlngo or lobaurers 1ft tt\9 tea eotateo

never bottwl'ed to evaluate cuhethsr cuch earnlngo QZIH adeQUate for

e deCent llvlng. Such an es»athy portu!ps mae dua to tha prevailing

prectlco 1n toa gardena or mage being pertly paid ln klnd. That

svch o rewd p~actlco "ad the offlclol sanction and continued Ul911

into t920o er-4 evan later on ls cla~ ftcm ttta provisions or aubals•

tenco ttetlonn ~·,ln the lo=~ l&UU8• Amt fW~Ujg tho OGO~.JnPtlon emnng

the oft!c1al cbclao that the teo guden labautors wore b91ng ·~11•

fed' by their employette awn thcugh cnany of tt\®) ual'e emao of the

provslllnta pew wages. It lilBI the tnqulry Commltteo of t92,•22

whl.ch for the flt-st t.lma made an effort• though lnadot\U3tet to ln­

uaetlgete tho lewl of conaumotJ.nn, end lrutluldual and femUy b&nt­

gots of teo geden labourers. Thaoo budgetc, stiOVJ1ng the laval

end coot of cona~tlon or e laboUr femUy or 1ndlulduol latJovr,

~ro ttwn canp~od wlth thO laval or income. Out moat of theS9

- 2J9.

budgets me~e p~epored olthe~ by local bureaucrato or by tho planters

them8elvaa l3ho usad ua~y abltrary mathada to otmw campatlbUlty

bottuaen thO aucpcndlture and eernlngo of en indlvJ.dual lobaut em o

family. twn tho Royal Cfl'lmlloolon on Lebo~ ln lndla dl.d not

sOI'loU9ly on"'lro lnto thu quoatlon of etlat conatltutad o fak

llvin;a taaQO in Assam teo garcSens.

Pl'lo~ to 1921•22 on lndlvldual ofrort to fJO!k out tho coat

of ttso dlot of tea ;ardon lsbouro~e in tmeam waa made by Harold Mann

in t9tl&e Renn•e oattmate woe exttsmely lJmltad. Ita dld not mako

env proper or oven gonatal ouruov of eona~tion lewl ~ the

gerden lobouren. Instead he obtelned hie data on tho basle of a

'hotel' dlot 1n tcao gardens. ' 2' Thla 'hotel' dlot lneludmJ only

U.mltod itemo of olmplo fOOd liko ~kat eaA. aolt1 aolcos, muatard

oU, pototooa and onlana. Tho itome of industrial consumption llko

clothing1 etc. and expsn:Jltwo on fuel ate., u=te not 1nclwad ln

Mom•e eatJmate. Novartholeas1 lft the atmonco of any othol' SOUI'CO

of information ~m•o oatlmato of the c:t~st of e almpla u eubtlle­

tsnco diet of a l~our fODUy ln tea gardena le vory uaoful. A

coms»arlenn ar AflM1 a eotlmate crith eamo o9 tho moctorate oottmatoo

oxtent of ln=eaao tn tho coat of aubolstence, diet or too garden

lebaurete in tha Assam Ualley.

12t Acco~lno to 11om t.tmso gerdana tvJd en arrengemant to faod Wok cr el.dc leb:lurere b9fore going to work In the morning and after returning r~am work ln tho evonlfti• Ths ideo was to tmprow thol~ health eo that thGy could wrk Pl'CIPl'Itly in tho gudena. ftts pleco at cuhich the lobotRoro aan provided foad CJBa referred to aa 'hotel' a.nd hanco tho term 'hOtel dlot• •

•••

-240-

tto tutvo polntod out oa~lls~t that Aaaam ladced en outhsnUc

price index for tho pe~lod undo~ etudve The data on prlcoo of

eonouma~ QCOds ccmplled through o sclentlflc mevey doaa no\ oJdot ~ls:l

ln Aeaam etalch could holp ln construotlng e t.Sim/,pf nol UJagO& fer

19Uo.1941. ttoCJEJver, the dato on p~icoG of fo01JQrelft lo ovellcsblo

hem varloua oourcoa for dlfteHnt paau. The maJD» 11mltatlons

ot tho letter data fliGt (l) no ein9lo oaurce cowte tho entlro pgrlod

lltdor ctudvt end (11) ~leo and suou (gw) ere tho only ltams tot

mhlch tha data tTam dlfterent oOUJt::ee COWl'S tho entire period.

RorQover, the cotegorloo of rlce dltte~ ln dlffQnnt courcos. ra~

e~lo, bateman 1900 end 1920 the emual n~U»rte an Prlcoo end Wegoa

ln India publlnhod the re\611 end CJholeaalo prlcoa of tlco (ccmmon),

ettaot, g»em and salt. ln the dlettlct of Lak"tmpur anct tho ovorag9 ot

Ulo ~&nmputro \lollov eo a \llholo eepeatolV• The Cklto on prices of

food;raln In the abovs l'OJ»Ofte wee eoq,Ued herD halt monthly otate­

monts tram thO dlottlcto ahlch more regul•lv publ&Elhsd ln the

Gazette of lndlo.122 Sar;.otlmaa, lt cuao coq,Uod out of tf\9 to~t.

nlghtlv returno f~Ot:t eolacted markote in t.ho provtnca turnlehed by

locol euthorltleo end market rotJCttte p\lbllch9d by Chembeva ot

Commorce. ' 2'

cont'd•• '•"• 12t fag turthar dato1lo GOS bl9 article "l\lote on tna Dlot of Teo Gc1'den tc:~lleo ln Uppo~ Aoaom end lto &lueltltlvo Valua" ln Huald "• RGnn, aaaw trnmPWSkl!' ArmJq,ultHS&t ates».u PP• 65-12.

122 ec,tppo I!M.J!asn.Jo,.!-'ldift• t902, Prefece.

12, Jblgu 1920t P• 2.

• 241.

Tho eocond cource of lnVcnmatlon on p~ lcoa or the a bOW men­

tlcnsd gootts lo tho eMUal IQDorte an th9 AdmJ.nS&Uation of l.end

Ravenue 1n Aseam. Tttsoa ;eportG publi&had the flguroa or averago

prlcas fOl' each dlsulct encs eub-dlvlelGftal haadqUUton eepata•

toly. ttowouaJt, tho flgU~oa ware publlehod eunoiotentlv only Datweon

190'-06 end 1969-10 em prior to 19DO. In the poot-19tD perlod

tmJee rODOrte genGl'ally publl~d only e btlof commant~v on ptlces

ot fOOdQl'OiM in Asaem Ualloy ln each ,au.

K.t.. Oatta'o eopart on the tn~l•v lnto tt\9 Rl&e of P&-lc:eo in

lndle, 19t4 p!ouldao annual totell and mttoloaale ptJlcoa of food­

grelna end at~ ertlcloo or corm~Uon ln Assan. tt1a ~:aport pub­

llohad tha figures ~to 19t2 only. Ha gava the prlc9 oV tlco unJSU

trJo saQarate categorloB JfJ1u tho ordln~y end goad eke.124

Tha tnquity tcmnltteo or 1921•22 publlohsd thO annual svorogos

of pl'J.ces or canmon l'lc:o tor the ~led t912•192t. fhoae flgwes

C~Gro given tor dloUlcto end aub-dlvleional heacJQuartoro end hed

boon colculatetJ en tho baslo of ovsro;e pricoa ln thO lest fOl't­

nl.QhtG of Januur, Aprllt July end Octo~ of each yae oa given An

the Acaem Cozotte. 125

rfcm the posWculd WQ I to 1947 ow main enurca at ~lees

of faodgralns ls tho ottlclollv publl&hed Agricultural Statlotleo

ot Brltlstt lndte end lo confined only to tlc:e end l'BUJ au;al' (gu~).

01\9 majGI" pl'o~om o1th this enurce le that ~Uo ln mof3\ youe the

t24 K.L. oat to• rumw;t...t!Q ttm SOrrulrY tntg ttm R.!M.PI f?sAsmLlD JDcU.s. '914, Vole l lit PP• JB2•J•

tas aef..£&• 1921•22, P• sa.

- ~42.-

figures quoted are or average Gholeaole market prlcaa ct the tlmo

of harvest• ln soma vaaro the pr1eeo quoted ue based an 'median•

average at the tsmo or ha~uoot. Secondly• thO ttatwst prlcea mav

not ftSCOosatUv rep~esont e tau oveeago of ttm Qlh:)la VD~• Ho~

ewzo• o!nt:a tho prleaa tor ontue pa .. tod ero QUOted on tho basle

ot harueot eaasan, At mov b9 ta1usn ea e feb indicator ot genaral

long.tem trcuuso. Thudly, thel'c ls no uniformity 1n the p~asente­

Uon of tho prlco data fa~ tho parlOd ea o Clholo ln the ebova source.

ror e~Ulq)le, bshe8n t9t7•18 end 1929-~ tha flgUl'Eis caere publlGhod

re tho p~vlm:o or Assam ao a whOle eacopt Cl~tng tha years 1919•20

end t92o-2t cuhen sSJ)areto flguroo ftR &.ett~ur G!Oro alan gtvon.

Durlno thla psrlod tho proulnclol annual avora;ee of prlcge of rlca

~o Mportad Uftda• teo categ~lea vlz., 'winter rlco cleared' amt

1UJlntor ~t1ca untwstced1 • Only t.ttoprleos ot reo o~ (gur) wore

~eportod undor a slnQle h9ad. Unfortunately, thoro lo no other

time sarloo at prlco data Which crculd hllw t\Glpad to mlnlmlae tho

orrore ond l~ltatlon of the abaua stetlotlcal lnto:matlon. There­

fare, desplto trm maJor 1lm1tatlono of ttte above source, GO shall

U!\9 lt to eao lon;44'un trendo ln prlceo In ana of tho mast importcnt

tea dlotrloto• i.e. &.okhlmpu~ end tt\9 proulnco u a t:Jholo.

Boforo we roournG en enalvcea ot t.tto date on prices 1t 1s

lm;Jort.ent to oak whstrutr the comparlaOft of W8t)8 oovcment mlt.h ttm

movement of ttm east of food0fuln alona =uld b9 a fa~ lndlcatlon

of either dOCllna cr lnctoase ln mal UJagett. tforo t• fcctora t\ava

to b9 takan lnto account. rtretlVt cur ovidsnce en tho 1ovo1 and

- 24J•

cast of conGUIJ'4)tlon or gocda ottte~ than foodgrelna lo vary supor­

flclol. Secondly, all tha temlly ar lndlvldual tMSgeta nportod

in tho 192,•22 Enquby CtJDmlttoe and Ooohpande's gepart uniformly

~emonstrate that e maJot pot-tlon or tho total e_,ond1Wr9 00s epant

on trm conaurqa,lon of fOOd. rent oxamplo1 ln an ennuol tJUCtaot or e

labow family of S cmmb~e (' cdu1to1 2 ~lldlon>. ln Suntc1c Tea

Eeteto ln Slbsager dloulct1 thO coat of fOOd cona\J!!Dtlon (ttlco,

saltt oU, 99lcaa, floh, vogetablee ond milld mas as much u 78

pa~ cant of the total expsndltvro.126 SSmila~lVt e rnale end a tc-

male lottovrer, ln o tea geaon In Lakhlmp\W dleblct1 Gi)Gftt 06 pGlt

cent and ?4 par cant rospectlvaly on food (rlee, mus~d oU1 ctal,

I'J81t, eplcos and onion) elono cut or theb totol annual o1CS)OndltUM.121

Even ln 194? Ooohpanda•e oncp~by into the ccat of llvlng of Aaaam

Valley taa gardon leboamezoe rovealod ttmt tJ\e coat or toed conn~

tlon or a lat=&n family comloted of 4e15 pGRsarm CSH 11eSS pd cant

or tJ\9 total sealcly GJ41Bf\4ltutoe 129

The aacpQndlture on rica (cm:man)

elcmo accupled tho maJo~ portion or tho total food OIICPemtlture. t 29

,26

121

128

129

Sao nppendl• Table viii.

~. 1921•22, Appondiees (d) and (e), PP• M-5. ApponcUx UJJ\A) 1 P• 12) of thlG Comllt.tao Af)Det Gf\G;lG emltha~ annual budgnt of o labour famlly conaletod oV ano man, tVJO 0amsn (811 umrtclng) and 2 chllcmen (, GJ~Dtclng) • Tho coot ot food ocwsum.,­tlcn of thlo family GillS nomtly 10 per cont ot the total emwl oxpandltwe. Ttm othav bUdgo~ roportod ln thle l'Ol)Ort rowal e almUa.- uams.

In tha t:nqulry Ccmmlttae ( 192••22) budgatc ttw coat of rice cana\Qptlon OClcupled ba•on 14 to 9D pQ cent of ttts total fOOd oxpondlture. ln Ooehpande'o report tho coot of tlce eaa 64 pa~ c:ont of ths tot&l food eJCPandlturo.

-244.

Thust tM coat of fOOII nmolnod tha maJog OJCPOMG of ttto tea

9Uden lotaurero in tM Asaam Uelloy durlng tho period urute~ catudy.

HancGt the vslldltv ot cam;aorlaon bstwaon tODd prt.cea end Gnt)9o co

e fair lnd1catlan of lncrceso o~ dacllne in toal wages.

~to eMU. bogln culth an analya1s or the date an prlcos or

Vo:.JCSpoifts glwn ln P~lceo end uegos sa~lea ''" tho porlod 1900.20.

Thlo oerles 1e moro Nlloblo c:ampsre1S to th9 otho1' ecurceo rnsntlonad

el)OVD• Tablo s.1J ~ annual cavarege rotall prleas ct rtcs (ccaGan),

mhaet, g~am end cralt 1n the cSletrt.ct or Latchtmpur and tho awrageo

of tho Br~ut~o Valley (A&leam UcllC:1y). Tho date le vleuo11y

proJacted ln r&guree !J.1D emt 9e11 tor Lekhimpvr and BlrahmJ)vua

Uelley res,actlualy.

In Lef<hlm;Jur t.tm prlcoo ot rlco, wtteat and gr&bl oxpetlonced

fluctwtln; teftdencleo thl'aughaut ttu:t p&JPiade Deeplto tluctuationo

the p~lce of rice increased by 40 par cent tilmlnQ the tlrot ten

yoare (1900-1909). Prices fell aharply ln 1910 end 1911 follomed

by on uptDarct movement hom 19t2 onwal"dse ThouQh tho upmard move­

msnt of rice prlcao vmo not smooth th9 lncroaso bot~en t9t1 and

'920 wee 108 par cent.

During the flret dac~de or the twentieth century tho p~lca

ot u:hont flwtuatod Ullth o toncrancv to c:Sccllna. rrom 19U Clt2ardo

J.t t'eglotorrcd o conotent upward movement end lncroascd by 98 par

cent betusaon t9U emS 1920e Simi~ tontfeneloa Ga~G notlcod ln tha

coso of g"am• Aftsr a tluctuatlng fbct dacedG ita p~lca tnot'ot~amS

~Jy 80 pfl!' cent bota~ean t9U end 1920. Tho prlcoo ot sslt I."GQlstetred

TAU 9.,, 6MUnl.=~~~i~~v Soll

ea. par maund

Year Ira a. t1 J! L.'? e..a.a ~e~UIBe 'asssal WMX Rica Wtwot Gram Solt Rloe Who at c~cm Solt

1900 ,.so 6e19 4.58 4.07 2.89 4.,9 4.26 4.,, 1001 4.1? '·'' 4.16 5.00 J.CJa 4.81 4.4? 4.,, 1902 '·" 4.91 '·8' s.oo '·'' 4e21 '·99 4eJ7

190J '·82 4.7t ,.so 4e24 '·4' J.99 '·'' JeBJ 1904 '·'' 4e:J2 '•'a 4e09 2.92 Je46 ,.20 '·10 19D9 ,.27 4.89 '·'' '·8' '·'' '·91 '·52 J.Jn

,9t16 4.ee s.s9 4.,, J.S2 4.07 4e?4 4.)1 ,.24

190? 5e26 ~.62 4., J.os 5.29 s.o2 4.44 2.84 1909 4 .. , 6.97 s.~ 2.es 4tS9 6.50 5.62 2.62

,909 4.9, 5.94 4e16 2.99 4.J7 s.v2 4.J9 2.92 t9t0 J.84 6eJ7 4.01 2e52 ,.04 9.02 '·'9 2.42 t9U ,.a~ 9e9J '·" 2.98 ,.82 4e21 ,.4; 2.6J t9t2 4.07 s.n 4e02 2.67 J.B6 4.49 ,.19 2.so t91J '·'' 6.09 4·'' 2e66 4.9? 4.9) 4.24 2.50 1914 5.29 '·'' 9.28 2.00 s.J7 9.74 5.29 2.69 1919 6.28 ?.SJ s.ea ,.'74 s.6G 6.94 '·'' '·'' 19t6 s.?O 7.62 s.oo 4.)9 ie2J 6.25 4.82 4e01

t9t7 5.17 7.62 s.no Se92 4.12 s.s9 4.57 4.09

t9t8 4.49 .,.sa 9.14 s.44 4.t6 s.7a 4.99 5.22 19t9 6,79 a,,, 1.81 s.oo 6.28 7.1"1 7.82 4.5t 1cno "·" 10.00 ?.22 ;.o4 7.14 7.49 7.59 4.46

source a f!Ueo.i f!.!V1 WQ.Qea. AD JJI1.&g tor resptlcUve ream.

:o

9

8

·7

Vl

~ 4 a: ll.

3

2

0 0 N s 0 ~ 0

~ 01 ... ...

ANNUAL AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF RICE (COMMON),WHEAT, GRAM

AND SALT IN LAKHIMPUR ·

/ /

' / v

~ 5D

/

8 5D

I /

/

1S00 - ~..._20

I I

I

/ !l I J I

,' lj I I ~

I I) I -f> • I 1

. I I)( I . r------ ......... .....J' , \~ I + '

I I ' I I ·

I ~ / I

" / I I \ I +

/ \ ""'', / ,' / \_,/ ,, ,,/ I ..... ,'-""/

r--.J I

r-. B 01 0 .. 0 0

§i S!i 01 5D 01 I!! .. .. YEARS

Fig-S ·10

N .., ~

~ i

RICE

WHEAT

GRAM SALT

:1 "' !!I Iii

+--+--+--+-+ 0-eO-t:?O-D

tD " i ~

; ·~-- _:.. ... __ __!......1- -----·-··-----·--·--- _______ ,._ ... ..... _...,_ _ -- ___ , __ ...... --·-· .. ··;- ........ .. .... ...- ...... • . ~ ~ _.1

8

7

6

til 3 w u a: Q.

2

0

,.:\N NUAL AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF RICE (COM},JOf'I) .. WHEAT, GRAM

AND SALT IN THE ASSAM VALLEY 1900-1'J20

l l

I

'l r----------------.11

t

0 0 s j g l9 ,... 3 ~

0 N 0 0 2 - t!l I» Ill C1l I» l1l 01 01 Sii Sii Sii ~ ...- - -

YEARS

Fig-5-11

-f"':;.·~-1 '

RICE

+ I

t ,, ,, ,-t­,, ,,

t+ ' .) I "' .......... t +

WHEAT --------

GRAM +-- +--+--+ SALT 0 0 0 0

~ II) II) ,... CID C1l §i ~ §i m ...-... ... l1l

0 N $!!

--- ··--· .. ~ - --~ -·----·--- ________ _, ••• '";'-· - - ··-·----.. _,. _ ·- - · ·--- .. -·--- ..... - ....................... J,, ... ..;• ~i

.. 246.

doumlJ8rd trends ~lg"t upto tho outbroek of world wav J. But «SWing

tho wu yaaro tho salt prlceo 1flareseed and come upto the leval of

tha earlJ par!ad.

The ove1'&11 .increase was the hlghsot 1n t.he caoe of rlco

amounting to 129 par cent mtween 1900 enr.J 1920. Thls Hpl'aeented

en omual 1ncrotlGC3 of 6e4 par cent. It cuaa follamad by 62 C)& ... cent

and sa pa~ cant lm::roaso in tho prlceo of wheat and gram &?eapsot1-

vo1y ~ing the eorrecpondlng parlcd. Thio utenka aut to en annual

lnereaaa ot '•' par cont 1n the ca88 of tllheat and 2.9 per cent fat

grem (rlguro 5.12 and Table 5.1)).

Ttts movamant in the pr Ace a of the ebouc eUcloa for the

~ehmpuue Vallov euaraoo esepar 1oncad WGre aSmUaJt to tl'taoe ln

Lekhl.cnpur d1sttttct. tJO But the parcentago of lm:roaes !n the for­

ma~ cmoo Ia much hlghor ln tha Cl398 of rlt:e, ~et ond gram prlcllt.l

during tho flrot docade.'" The oueroll inorcass in evare;a Brehm­

putre Valley prlcee tmtiUIIJen 1900 and 1920 was 169 por cent, 62 par

cent and 72 pat cant frn s:J.ca, wtwot end eram roapact1wly (aea

FlgUl"e 9.14).

ftm etmw ennlyGia or tho price datn shows two lmpotttant

tronr!a• rtretly, tho pi)rCBntOQO Of lncteoao in the p~lcos OV 11leet

Glhaot and pam aaa much hlghal' during tho eacontt ctocedO comp®Gd to

1JO The Aeset3 Vellev ls aloo ~erert:od to as ~olrnpuuo Velloy.

'" But 1n moat caoas tns tlgurea or prices e~ hi;hsr 1n the dlablc'• In other GJDrdot tho pr1cso at tho UeUoy loual prenntad e conGeruat1ve everago cMJS)8red to tho ovarano ln ths district.

- 247-

the fl.rst decadtt. ~andlVt tJ\8 ccet at tttooe aeticlos (the ectval

flguroa) ems elaD tho hlgtwst during the sscond decade. Anothor

important feature ~s tho feet that ttte lncreoou lft elce p~tlces

wsa tno higheat cmonu tits ertlclee mUe ttm ~lee of aolt had

csecllnod during ttta fhet decade end U\an thoy rcso to tho corllal'

laval ctwing tho Vbet wo:ld we~ porlod. Kera two factors are

crwtol. First, oo pointed out eo~llott, the oJ(J)ondl.turo on rlce

formed the maJet portion of totel valuo of food consumption ond

the cost ot fOOd formGd the bulk of the total exparu:U t~o of o

leboura~ ~ labow family. Thatoforo• tha oxtont of lncnase ln

ti\Q prlco of rica ie tha meat important Vector ln dDtemintng tho

lncl'eaoo ln tha coat or llv&ng. SecandlVt the 9J<PSnditure on salt

accuDSad onlv ebout 2 por cent of the total cost of food ccna~tton

and Umrofore the tncreaeo 01" decracoe ln lts coot Goa S.nalgnlflcant

fceto:r ln determining tho trorute ln tha cCDt of llvlng ot e labcur 1)2

family ln Assam Vallov tea gudsns.

A e:oq,arloon of the movements ln tho p~lces oF rlcr), wheat

• nominal gages ot dlfte-

rant catogo~1as at leboute~s w11l eh~ that ~cal wogaa hod decllnad

In tho Aooam Ualloy toa plont.atlons b9tluaan 1900 end 1920. Tho

overall lnctteeoe batwcon 1~00•1904-09 end 1915-16-19,9-20 ln the

c:»mbinad wagae or Act lebowo~o (men end women) was 1t per cent,

6 po~ cent end 2S pmr cent omS ot non-Act la'bourero (men, t!Otm3n end

1S2 rc. tt\9 eama reecmn u:e shall exclude tho salt prlceo trcm our enBlyees Clhan ma canporfJ the P1'1.ce tl'end~ with t.he wage trem~D.

• 248.

chllctren taQoth01') wq 41 par cont, JO pu cent and 4J pu c:ent in

Noltth Lctdtimpur, Slbaa;e~ and DarraftD raspect1vely cturlng th3 CfnH~

pondlng porlod (oaa Table ie? end Toble 9e9). C~ored to thla

tho Cat'.lblnad lnoraop ln the prlcae of e~ntlonad artlcles

bstwon 1900.04 end 19t6-20 mea 57 pu e»nt ln Lekhlm;sw dlstltlct

end S9 paT cent fe&- thll average Btotmputre Velloy (ase Table 9.1J)e

tvan moro lntoteGtlng lo ttm compn•tson mtcwon tho two muuomante

during ttta second ctoctlde, th9 perlad of tho r&tat world ua. tmon the

tea induo~v waa prospulng. While tho ccmbincd lnereaso ln nuni­

nal wagoa of non-Act lobourera (coen, wanen end ch11c:f~cm totJOthol')

ca only 20 po~ cont, 9 per cent and 12 pe~ cent ln North Lokh~Wt

S1baagu and Dertang t-eCJ)oot1wly batrmen 1910.14 end t9t6-20• tho

ccmblnad lncreaao ln prices (rtce, GNJ8t ond orem togstMt) aa 4)

per c:ont in Lakhiq)ut and 44 pa~ cent t~ the eueregtt thtahqJuteo

Uelloy d~ing ttt9 conaspondlng QGrlocJ.' '' XfMt,,mhlls tbQ; .

~ •. L mm&vpl mrumq £AAlata!Sd Y!¥£4 eavesal trm...u.al.s:mmp wm ~all¥ mtc1lolng..Jmtgn 191ltlmd t9j2De

Th~t tho real ~s 1n toa gsc:tena had dacllnGd ctwlng tho

&Qly tao docasseo of tho precent centurv 19 alao euklant f'toa ot.hG~

sources. r= lnatencoi according to tha tlruJlngo at "•'-• Datta'e

~caport at 19t4 ttm roe1 l2;GG ar toe gol'dOn let=aare tuld declined

by 5 per cont mtcmen '1900 end t9t2 (TGtlle 9.t4). ''4

''' ror tho pu:pose·a of coq,~ealon batuJsan tho prleea af raoa­etutf end umQSo eo have used flue yaa1'1Y euorQ.Qsa on ei~ ends OD tho baels f~ both.

• 249.

TAW s.t4

NE&tlal-!M ,RQ!l HOQQL!D ,. Dmt!AD!ltJ9

-----tOG

101

tOJ

96

106

90

120

99

Afto~ CQl!pDrlng t.tw wagee ln dlfferont lnduat~leo Datta come

to tna eonclualcn that "Uta coolies ln tea ga,tcJcns cppou to btJ l.n

tho woret pBS1tion.QtJ6

In t906, HQold RaM eatlmatsd tt\o east or an adult latsourtnt•e

•hotel' dlot eo~. ,.oo pe~ month (tft.cln; tho price or rico ot ~ ,.on per maund). Tna dlot canslotmS or rleo, dOl, ealt, sptcca, mustetd

oil, potetoee end anton. tJ7 1ft 1912 tho eost or exoctlv tho earre

diet was cslculetad to bB fb. Se49 par month t01 an adult laboun~.139

Thio npnsented 61 par cent lnarcaae ln cost ot monttlly diet pu

adult leboun~ ln the Aeoer3 Valley toa g~clsm tmtwcan 1906 and 1922.

Ourlng the corttOopcndlng paJ'lod the ccmblmd &Jagoa (,.

no:nlnal) of tho non-Act lottotaue (mane cmmsn end cttllckton togo~)

lncl'oaaad by 48 por ~nt ln Borth &.ekhlc$Jutt 49 pot cant ln Sl~

t SS .Did•• P• t?O.

1,6 ~ P• 111.

• 250.

and 44 PQ cent ln Daneno. 1 J9 The Enquby Commlttoa or 192t•22

eatlmated Umt em coat of llvlng or tho tea Quden la~e had

increagod by 44.4 po~ cant in Jothat (Slboaoa~). 90 par cent in

DoCIID Oooma (&.akhlmpur) end 90 to ?9 PaR cent ln ToapU! (Oar~ang)

Dsboen the roue 19t' and 1920.140 The t~snn eccauntant of tN

tapite of lndle Campany In Jezpw hod celculctod tJ\a dlftottence in

tt\9 cost or living In 1920 ee comparmJ to 19tJ ot too uel' eon'

taking rPlco at tha curcent mcmcot catao. Tho Deputy tammlsalonQ

of oarrang thought that 75 pac cant ca9 U\a fabo• flguro. 141 tho

Commlttoo _..,tad the prico of common ~leo (reputed ln Aesam

Ci~ette) tor th9 ,ea~s tft2•2t. According to these flguroe the

p1'1co or coamon ~rica lncreearm by 91 pot- cent ln Toapwo Sedl't 1U

pa~ cant in Mangoldal (Oarrang) • 98 por cent in o lbNQatht 59 csnr

eont 1n Na~th Lokhlmpu.r (~h!l!lpur) • 11 pott cent In Slbs~r and 92

par cent ln .JtJ1:hat (Slttsogar).142 A ~eleon of tl\oao flg&r.'oa

w1th aago dato (Toblo 5.1 and Tablo s.s) mlll ftmtMr etrenQt.hsrt

our orC)Ul'DSnt that tho real CJBQOG ln Aneam Ualloy too gardOns d\mlng

1900.1920 had dacllmde

Ow:' Gourco of evldonco for tho post-1920 pttlco data ls Um~

ted to th9 Ag~1cultura1 statlstlca oV British lnd1e.14' Tho prlce

1S9 Sea Tablo 9e9•

140 fUlL.££• 192,•22t P• JS.

t4t J.ltl$1u P• :56.

142 lb1du P• ~. Soo Ap~ndlx Teblo lx.

14' fha~o le no otho~ aaurco d'tich glvao ttm s\atlstlcal s.nrarma­tlon on the prlcos ot 1n Aeaam fo~ the p~lod 1920•1947e

• 291.

dato ~em tttls source f~ 1920.JD ie evan cmre U.mtted. Only ttto

provinclel evoregoe of harvest prlcoe ote evalloble for this period

and that Glso only of tho a~lntctt ~tee (cleeMd and unl'\ustmd) end

raJD ougar (g&m). from tm ~ttrds, hamauor, tho twvveat prlcoe

oV olnto~ ond eut\IDft rice end 1'019 sunew 81'8 (lWtad eoparately for

t~o ctleb1ct8 (Lakhlmpw end G®lpara) end tl'le avaragee of tho

provinco co e Wholo.

Tho comparison b&twaon p~lco and wagg movoments ln the 1920&

wUl bo r-astr.lctod to 1929-26.144 Oetwaen 1921•22 end 1929-26 Uta

prlces of mlntet l'lC9 (unhusked) lncnassd by 42 ptl)f c:ant and Of

t~lnter (closnad) by 20 par eant, in Aaa•• TN.l price or ttom ouaa~,

hamove"' eegS.ote11ad o ctaelina or 9 pa~ cent csurlng tho correspontt-

lng pol' led (eoo Tablo 5.19). 149 Tt\9 ccmbined magee (- - - ,.,;.

nominal) of non-Act lebaurel'Ot (mon, womsn end chll~on taueth9~) 1

on ttta other hand, lncHSead only by 15 por cant, 1B per cant end

19 por cent ln Nol'th Ltlkhlm;!w, Sltmog• end Da!rcng nopectivelv

(ue Table s.e). In othor worcts• real czages ccntlnuad to docllno

An tha ouly 1920s. Out tho CSODllm ln real mages c;aa ftl)t f19 eharp

ae waa the case dUring the ODCOnd deca&to. Table 5.15 eh=Do that

the price ot &>lee (of both cstooorlea) continued to ~lao upto 192?-

144 As polntod out oqllu1 tho date en l. ~ __ namlnal wages of non-Act lctlcwer& IDS8 publlshsd onlv vpto 1925-26. Ootusen 1926-21 and 19,t-n only th9 flguMs of wago rate W8l'G pub­llsb:Jd. tbiave~ • C!ISQ& rate dcoe not reprseant tho real nomi­nal eo~nlft;le of Uta labour torce and honco lto camp~loon olth oego ttond C~Wld not b9 feu. ·

t45 Raw ougar (gw) conotltuttttJ an oxtremaly cmall pl'ol)Ol'tlon of tha total food consumption. Deehpamso's estimate of e labour

•••

TAU 5.15

taaxuW?.t P£1~1: !!!mal B&s!! 1!fnh.J5!Jm! nQS1 C&eRasJl ru:ut B& i!m!!.t {C'!Jl.!lt.!~~ O!awd, .ln.AD!lM 12!1:2Wn!e'A146

lndox eoao • 1921•22·1925-26 • too.

winter A ice Yeu Unttustced lftdaJC CleOJcd lftd&x AG1! SugOJ Index (Gtm)

t921·22 2.61 84 '·" 99 9.2; 102

1922•2' 2.S6 ez 4eJt 00 a.96 99

192,.24 z.aa 92 4.&t 89 e.vs 96

t924-25 '·'' t20 6.2, 116 9.79 107

1929-26 J.Bt 122 6.Ja uo o.?, 96

t926-21 ,.69 ue 6.56 121 o.so 94

192?·28 4.00 128 ?.06 1Jt1 '·'6 e' 1928-29 J.so na 9.?, 106 ?.GJ 84

t929-JD ,.,, tOO ,.oo 92 ?.et 86

1929 end then docllnod ln tha mat two yoere. It ep~e that thO

p~lco ot unhunlced rlce ctacllnad by 20 por cent, af clttt1Hd &~tee by

29 pnr cant batwan 1927•28 end 1929-SO end of' rh ~e~ by 9 per

Cont'd••• t.n. 14S fanUy bud;ot shows the\ auger conaumpt.lan c:anst.ltuted c.nly 2.6 pal' cont of tho totel footl expenditure. fhareto~e. 9 pu cont dacrcose in ito pricoa tmWtlon t92t•22 and 1925-26 would not teaua elgnlf'lcently redUced tho total G)CpandlturG on feed. sao Oeehc»ando• SBaS!&A• Al:1pomtix xu, PP• 9S.10t •

146 1\at1czultuAA1.AAaMMlAAQ£ .@Mthh )nt1!ft fer reopecUvo veers. ff\eoe f'iQures ttcp~oaont u.o wttolesalo matkot prices. ThO figures or retail prices uould hove been ewn hlgt\o~•

eent botusen 1926-27 end '929-JO. But looking et the 1ncroaco ln

ttm ~e rates or non-Act labDul'Gra (Appendix Teblo ul) dulting

t.hosu ve~s 1f W9 oasdlta that tha namlnal wagoe aleo lncreaosc

cwcpor:tionately, ' 41 th~ tho camb1ftad wa~s (ncm1nol) may havo

increased by 7 oar cant ln t:orth &.~h-urt 1J PDr c:snt ln Sibsagar

ems etognated An Slbsaga~. Thlo wUl imply that ror the fleet time

tha lncteaoe in nominal mauea repressntod actual increase in real

weteo of nan.Act lebau:ore ln ~~th Lahlmpw Elnd o~"ng• Even

in Slbstl()or, c.tasplte 9t.aQnant n&Dln&l wagoo, the fall ln prices

lruUecte GOmO ln:rease in tha ueol wages.

Otnlng tho depnos1on ot tho 19308 prlcan or rlce ot oll

varlotloo and ~~~ su~ docllned vory G~ply ln all tha d1sttlota.

(sea Teblo 9.16). Ae fer eo tho ptlees ot wlntor rice (tx)th cloued

end untnlskad) '2Dtto concorMd lt ums tho c=ntlnuatlon of docllntng

Ucnd fltafl) thO seller yeats. BotusQn 1921•29 end '9)4-JS the

prleoa ot wintu ricG (ulltnltafctUS and clo~) decllred by 59 per

cont oncl 57 pal' cent tQspactlvaly et tr\e proulnclel leval (Tobleo

s.,, end ,.16). Though the p~1ce date at ctlotrlct lauel taP the

1920s 1s not avallo~le but lcuktng at th9 gons~al trend of prlcoa

ot tho orovlnctal level osa ouumo that prlceo ln dlstrlcta oleo

,47 Tho waga rate of non-Act men, wnmnn and chlld.ren lnctoased by '• 9 and 7 por cront raepm:tluely ltt Lekhlm;sur, and ln DQeang tha increase a:as 9, S end 1B rm~ cant ns~ct1valy bateman 1926-27 em.1 1929-'0• In Sltaagar, an tl't9 other handt the ~Q9 rote remalnad otegnant d&ll'lng tho cor~oopanding po~ict:l (sae Apptmdlx Tat»lo VI).

Tftm.t 5.16

~ f&!eJU.f ~!5 '£m!Lfl-SaB£l g!!1,1tlSJ.C!PJ!I Q,_r.um !!aMmt,An tho ~!JSQ..Ol a=n sa~z-a ~ JitHt.

Index Oaaa: 19)1•» • 19)4-)S c:a 100

~'*Hil7e.~ ~PAS!!~~ Wintel" l1inte~r Autumn nutu:m Gur

Yeu rlee Index ~lea lndax ~tee lndax ~lee lrutox (rq Index (untumkod) (huskad) ( unhUatcQd) (twakEnt) eug~)

'be Qa. {b. P.;. ~.

19,t•)2 2e06 69 J.et ,,, 2e25 9J 4.1, 117 7.79 ''' 19,2•'' 2.94 121 ).25 95 J.oo 124 ,.56 tOt 4.44 9f

19)).)4 2e69 ,,, J.tCJ tJ2 2.6J Cl09 '·'' 89 4 .. 44 " 19J4-J' 2.oo OJ ,.44 101 t.et 7S ).25 92 ).00 VI 19)5-36 •• •• •• • • •• •• •• • • •• •• 19,6-)7 1.6, 67 ,.69 to8 1.75 72 '·'' 9t 4.25 " 19)7•:58 t.S6 60 2.94 86 t.ee 70 ,.06 8? 4." " 19)8-)9 2.00 SJ '·2' 95 2.oo OJ '·'9 9t ,.so ,,, 1939-40 2.96 106 4.Jt 126 2.59 98 4.1' 117 .,.,, t9t 1940•4t z.7s 1t4 4.88 14) 2.?~ 1t4 4.81 ,,, 6.19 ''' 1941·42 2.ee tt9 4e44 '50 ,.25 1J4 6.0D t7D •• •• 1942•4' 4.98 202 9.,, 267 4.00 165 ?.et 222 7.oo '" 194,.44 o.t9 JJQ 16.6) 486 ,o.so 4)4 22.7S 646 22.88 .,6 1944-49 1.ea J26 ,~.29 446 9.n6 J74 1e .. oo St1 2?.00 546

194$.46 6.88 284 ''·~ "' •• •• 1J .. 15 '9t 10.25 J25

1946-47 6.88 284 ,,.56 )96 6.ea 284 1J.25 S?6 1S.?i J02

•••

!ssJtlfm!ol &mass \:linter \:linter A~n Autumn Gur

Vee rico ln.1ax rice lndtJx rlcg Index I' leo lrutox (r:.81D lndox (unltu~Gd) (tumtced) (unhustcod) (h\mkad) evge)

lb. ~ 'be fb. As.

19)1•'2 1.5n 96 2.94 106 1.'1S 10? '·6' t2S 4.ea 116 19~_,, '·'' 84 2.38 86 1.50 92 2.98 109 4.00 93 19),_)4 '·'' 112 2.69 97 1.69 104 2.Q 69 ,.9'1 91

19)4-J5 1.69 109 ,.06 no ... so 96 2.6, 69 4.06 9"1

19)5-)6 - •• •• • • •• •• •• • • •• • • 19)6.)7 1.96 1110 2.&1 101 1.6) tOO 2.94 100 4.00 95

19)7-30 1.69 108 ,..ao 108 1.01 ,, ,.06 104 J.oa 9' 19)8-)9 1.94 124 '·'' 115 2e06 126 '·"

,, 4.6, ,,, 19~0 2.J8 152 4.00 144 2.SO 146 ,.94 1)4 s.oo 191

1940-41 a." 148 4o44 160 2.56 157 4.JS 149 s.s6 ''' t94t•42 2.06 tOS 4.69 169 ,.44 211 5.89 200 •• •• 1942-4) 4.10 26S e.ot ,8 4eCO 245 7.63 260 8.19 '" 194,.44 ?.so 40, ''·'' 474 ,.06 SS6 18.75 6~ 19.94 4?6

1944-45 6e44 41) ,2., 444 ?.'B 475 ,,.6, 464 22.J1 $44

1945-46 ~.56 "' ,0.25 S70 6.44 ,95 12.00 409 ,,.6, '2S 1946-47 6.44 41, 12.19 440 6.25 )9, 12.06 410 16.06 SS2

sourco • .&JVS&wl"J!tl. a!t!I.Ueo oZ..J!!1!&• vat. l fer ~eopective years.

-296-

would hsua declined proportionately. Slmllel'lvt ln tho caee ot

eagoe fo~ t.ho yeore 19SO.Jt and 19)4.)~. ~ ttauo data, as pointed

out earlle glvlng avatcga nrDlnal wa;}oa only for tt\9 Bramputrc

Velloy end ftt)t for each dlotrlct eepustoly. And tha ccmbtnnd

nominal WSQt:te (men• waaan and chllctton togs~) ot lobuu:r fcrca

at thD UeUov level regl&toncS o decline ot 51 po~ cent in tha

eorhapondlng P9~1od (eae Table s.9). ThUG a eh~ Cfeellna lft

pelcas aae ecc~nled by o eha!p deCline (a llttle leoo than tt\3

prlc:ae) 1n ttm namtnal esagoo ln tho ~lv 19~a. The d~

movm:mnt ot prlcso, wlth sliQht lncteaso in aome cases, contlnusd

right upto tfm beginning of Wcntld tiEm II (809 Tablo 9.16). Wagoo

oloo decllnod th®gh lase tttan pr.teao. Thle ml.«ht heuo led too

maintenance u evan en l~teroaeo in ~eol wages. ttamGVOr thla ctoos

not aean to haw htlppon on any ol.gnlflcant ccalo elnco we know ~

thc:l plantrne tandad to employ ~ en- lJYU! let):)&n- ~ more chaa­

P~•'48

r~cm tha boglnntng of U\G nocona world We'J pricoe ot almost

ell vm'letlos at rice end raw sugar GttouJed a very eharp end oecu­

lo~ upmaH mowmunt. Pet1cu1&1"1y chmlna t94J-44 crd t944e4S,

theta was o macslvo J~ ln ltta prlcea at' foalf;~alno. Tho baao

years tor our cGa;)ert.son ot pr iceo wlth ttw cmge dota an settled

lebnw et dlobtct louel will ba 19J,_~ • t9)1•38• 149 Tho pricoa

148 Tho ceuoas of ctaclino ln magoa duttlng this pel'lod have bo9n ctlecussad oel'-•

149 Becaueo tho I:I3Q9 VJ.9u~os or otlttled labtiur wore publlahnd tram 19M ot'I'Jiarcta after th3 Tea Olatrlct £mlgvant Lebaur ~t (xxn of 19,2) came lntc effect. It la fOUl' vaarlv ovarageo

••

- 251·

ot wlnte~ rlee, unfwskod end 1\wtcod, .tncraesed by 219 pea• cant

end J4J por c:en\ ln Letmlmpw end 289 P13J' cant end "4 par cont

rospeetlvoly at the provlnclol ewrega bltwoen 19JJ-54 • 19J1•J8

end 194'-44 • 1946-47. SJmlla~ly, thO pricoa of autum tice (un­

twatced end husked) incnmse by JJ6 ~ eent and 4J6 p~ cant An

LatchJ.mput J42 por cmnt and 400 po cant eos,pectlwly et the pto­

vinclol lovel during tho carreoPQndlng perlode The p»1co ot raw

sugar (g~) incteaaad by m por cent Oftd 300 par cent in Lekhlq)\m

and at tho ~oulnclal level req,oct1va1y (ase Table 5e16). In

conttoat tho canbJ.ned wagoa (mrulnal) of settled lob:naors (man,

oaman end chlldnn togottmf) lncrosead by 46 pot cont In LatchJCipur,

42 PQt cent 1n Slbaagal' end 59 per cont 1ft oarrang mt.en t9J4-J7

end 1944-41 ( Toble '• tO) • 190

Rege reported that tho Gouommcnt of lndle had conducted

family a..dget anqulriea throUQh ttto oftlcG of the ouoct._ ot t.M

toot ot Llvlng Jndox Stlhsrne ln sue~, Gauhatl ones Tlnst.ecla (eane

of tho impM tan\ toums cutelde tho plsntoUon area ln Aooam) dUltlng

t9J9-45. The purpose tshlra title enQUlty v:aa to complle coat or llvlng lftdoa numtore fbr throe conttoo. Teble '·'' presents flguroa,

I

Cont'd••• t.n. t49

which ere ussd ca bas& ,a~ oru.t '9JS.~ le axcludad ea flguroa ~ tha' ya~ EWe nat 0vaUabloe

150 Th3so flg~oo of c:mrcontogo do not Ltoflect tho es:tual lnc~case ln Uta namlnal magos IF.Joauso, eo polnted out oul1er, the flgurea of wcgao for the vee 1947 eue eatremaly hlgh cOt,_ psed to the prov1oua veora. ttenca, lf we toke 1949 as \hO point of ccmpat-lnon, tha actual increase Gtwuld work aut u ts mw:h less Uun tho above fl;uroo. row yeulv avarasoa otto U30d at both endS as tho baaio of eompat'lGort.

''

Article

1

Rice

Da1

Fish

Eggs

Chicken

Goat

Vegetabls

MUStard Oil

TABLE .5.17

BETA IL PRICES IN ASSAM DURING PBH-WAR PHRlOD 1 1943 AND MAY 1 194!1. '

Rate Prices Prices Prices %of Prices %of Prices in per obtaining obtaining in column in column Tinsukia

in 1939 in 1943 Gauhati 5 to Silchar 7 to in May in May col. 3 in fAa y col.3 194!1 -12~!1 194!1

2 3 4 !I 6 7 8 9

b .. Ia "·

Maund 4.·oo to !1.00 30 to 40 14.88 337 14.75 328 16.oo

Seer 0.13 to 0.19 o.75to 0.88 0.!17 367 o.7o 447 0.!12

Seer 0.25 to 0. !Ia 1.50to 2.00 1.25 333 1.oo 267 2e44

Four 0.9 o.63to o.75

Each 0.25 to 0.37 1·25to 1.75

Each 2.00 to 3·00 10.0 to 12.00

Seer 0.13 o.~to o.63 0.37 300 0.40 o.68

Seer 0.37 to 0.50 lo75to 2·00 1·63 371 1.88 429 1.63

SOURCE 1 D. v. Rege, Report on An Enguiry into Condit ions of pla ntatlon Labour in Ind1.a 1 1946, p.!l5

%of column 9 to co1.3

10

3:56

333

650

538

. 371

-259.

euppllod bv tha ebova ottlco of p~lcas or ~taln art1clon in mm­

plentat1on cent~s. Gut tha Vt!ncJe or Pt'leaa mare elmiw in th9

plantation ereoo teo. ' 51 noge oetlmatsd that thO coat or llulng

of Assam toa gardan labuun~o hod gono up .bv et least 200 per cant

betmoan 19" an12 194i• on the ouum ttand, tholr earnings (1nc1W.

ino cash valuo or concesslons ln toodatuffe and cloth) had 1~

ned bv only 02 pal' csnt Mlng tha corceagondlng pe~lod. 152

rrom the ats:»ve analysis of the wagen end ~lcs mov.amonte ln

tt\a Aeoam Volley t.oa plsn~Uans dwlng 1900 and 194'1 the following

c..,ncluelcns emel";o: DU1'1ng tho rust crecmse th9 scgss temalnsd mue

cw leeo etaQnan' .,_llo the p~lcsa of ~tlcltiJs or foodstuff sttowed e

elig.ht lncreDStJ• In tho second claea&ta tho nominal wages shcwod up­

ws•d movement but could not keep up w.lth the l.nc~:eass ln p~lces.

Tf\oltetore1 tho tiret tao dacadaa eJPSrlencsd e cSeollnn ln the roetl

GOgeo of thil letmUHfO• 1'ha Cfacllm ln roal wa.geo mao much Gtlerpa ..

dU1' i~ tho stte:Ond dooar!0 creaplte hlgh rotc of lncnaea in tJie ncms-­

nal MlOO& du~lng and of&r ttte ruat Wefld w~. Ou.rlng the third

dsccde tho real wagas Ct)f1t1ft\19d to rtecllno UU 1926-27. Prlc:eB

doclinad ln the m~t\ tmo years Ghlle tm;es (nt'llllnal) continued to

~lmh In ot:Mtt m:c!s, for ttta flnt time ttan 1Mremsa 1n n~Plnal

wagos ectuaUv HJ)roeented lncroeso ln rool QJ8Qoo. Th9 dap~esslon

of 19SOs affected both prlc1Ja end eagas end thoro wac ehtDp declina

1S2

Aoge, QJitaSlty P• 551 PeP• PiUelJ Gdet J:GMY&.Jo.Jl.gutb.j,BU blat A Ssgn!!!9. (ttsm OGW, ,941 t P• '9•

lbJ.du P• 96.

• 260.

1n both• Tho CSSCllno ln ptlceo mas e11Qhtly hlgha~ campued to

that ot wages in the 19~o. tmmeuar, tho poaelblllty of evan

&light bsnaf1ts man nautralleod by the lnc1tsaaing employmont ot

te.!.ty, ~ bal\1. (temporary) lsbaUJ whoso eagae ware much lower

oompsrad to thoso ot aetUmt lebOlW Which twtttu d~~oaaed the

owrell magao. The Second world tfe creGted c bmln for the toe

lndusby and tho naolnal cuagea aloo OJtP~lencad a constant 'C)oard

mouamant roaching tha h1\1'oet figures of oll time ln '947. But

tho Cld aloo cretJtod lnflatlona~y torutenotos ln pricaa oms tho

increoaa CU18 maselvs. Ao e neult tha raal GJ89SD dscllnad vefy

sharply.

lU

lhe Obu1oua nsult of ttuJ conat&nt ttecllno in teal C!lagea of

tha tea goctsan lobaw ln Asoam Uellev wao thrdr opp&lllngly lOIJ

atandafd of living• The employmont of le~ge numbD1 of chUdlten le

a cleQ lrHSt.caticn that the oarnlngo of the adUlt workote .. e nat

enough ewn tot tho oub81otcnce of a latsaur family. In contrast

to tha ete•eotype of '•ll•foo' Iebow, proaented by ttta plontette

and uaticus sullor offlt:lal reports, Aoge1e o~vattonn In '946

ero 170WOllngl ntha atcnt!ard of llv1ng oP t9EI garden loba~ol'e ln

Aaeam 1s eppalllngly lehJe Ttmy ma~oly oxs.st. Thoy mvo hardly any

balong1n;e excapt e tom clothas (mootly S.attol'od) end o tam pots

(mostly ocl'th~n) • Tmb oamantolk hsvo no Jowollery esc.cspt Cemnan

eUvar bangloe ln a reo oano. lhelr ttauaee presented o plcturo

-261-

oV etatlc ~ve•ty.u1SJ Even OaahpandOt whcsa ~cport WBD gonetally

appreciated by the lndlen Tao Aesoclot1on, Ob®tVOdl 0 Speaking

gonattally, tho GGrkere on tho Aasam teo plentatlona ere vary see~

tUy clothed ond children gonel"ally go abm.lt naked. Moat of th9

wortceJo and ttmlJ fs11les aeltc about turto-tcotod•n' 54

Tho inability of t!18QOO to koep up cu1th tho ~lelng cant ot

llvlng rt~aalted ln roductlon ln tho level of CCIUlumpt&on ceualng

undotnOUfletlnant and m&lnubltlen anong leb!laaore. This f\1:~

oacposad tham to oll aorta of dlaaaas and lllnoss. Thou ohvoloal

ill-health was fUrthaJ cggraveted by lnadoquato aoftlta,lon, ~ta~

supply end tho generally unmalthy cllmnte of ttta boplcal forest

areas aurroundlft{) ttta toa gudmns. Ttto Royal Commloelon repMted

that mal~lal lnfcctlan played en important pettt ln loarerlng oten­

dflrde of tmolth and phyolque end ceualng moat of tho oJd<nose ln

As~ plentetlon ereaa. 159 Tho Camnisslan elm) aportcd that o

l•ge numb3r of tea ~CkJn lebouraro lliO~a lnfaeted with hOOk~

bocauso of hl9hly lnadOquato arrsngomento far latJlnaa.'56 OVflclal

oupftvlelon or health end wnltero or plantation letmu:e~o hardly

eMietGde n In &ISBDt the ObectOl" of Public HaoltJ\ hao eppuantly

lltUo or no c:ontflct CJlth the plentetlona• ea h9 la nalthU an

offlclel lnspuctor of ractotrleo, fUn' haa ttuJ rlg"t to wpoct plan-

15, Jbld.

1$5 AQXM~il!m• t9S1t P• 406.

156 DJ,sa.. PP• 409-10.

• 262-

tatlons. •••" ''1

1M lnc1denoo ot malnutrition end conno(lllent dato­

~ioreUon ln h®lt.h umre particularly hlgh crur1ng tt\o t~torld wse

bacauao ot extremely h1gh pl'lcee end ccmpet'etlucly 10\J Gagoe.

Re~bs baaed on proper madlcal lnueGtlgaUon maH ~aught out

only ftam tho lote 19JOe CRD&rdoe ln Oft9 ot theas ropo:rts ana

or. LCtJpplng oteted that malnuultlon maB aldas;»read throughout tho

tee dlsvlcto tn tho Asoam Velloy and that thO clesos or the pOJ)u­

let1on moat oftected waa tha non.VIO!klng children. Ha attr1butod

thle to ttte economic lnebUity or tho lGbourc~e to pwetlase toocs

~atttor then to eny :aal e~tegs. 158 In Dec.ombor 194,, Mtt s<.c. Outte,

Aaslstcnt Carnmiss1onor or Lebour, n~sem, ourvovod nearly .,, oudens

1n tmth Valleys end "ported that thnro moo malnutrition emongot

lotnwrotte tn moot or Uta toa estateo end that thle was caunod by

ttlgt\ly price& end oeorcl.ty or the a!ltlcleo or toad conto1n1no tats

and vltamlns.1' 9 ttomovar, thle was not a C%181' time phancmonan only.

ln 19S8 ond 19J9 tha All Jndla lnatltuto or Public Helelth end Kyg1ons

had canted cut dlot end phyeiqua owwvs at=ng Assam tea lebourore

ontj cultlvotore ln cortain oJWms 1n Benoal. Tho survey ohOt!Jad that

tha diet of Aeaam tea leb:lure»s wee deficient tx»th in quantity and

quality and ttm nuvltlon and dovelopmcnt or children czo2o lowe~ 160 than thoco oP other clesooa Qhtch IUOtte lnolucJad 1n tJ\t) eurvey.

1S? Jbida• P• 4,?.

199 tlted ln Rsge, m•Mw P• 60.

t~ Cited ln Jbld..

•••

- 26J•

J t was pointed out. that a Aooem let»w boy or sown eonsunoo t .om 161

caletleo par daV against the ~ t,600 to 2,,00 pet day.

l usn more da.nanlng Gill& tho information collected by t. Ll yod

Jonso, tho Oeputv ouccto1: Ocna~al, Indian ptedtcal se~v1cos ln hle

Report on otandard of medlcel cuo 1n Tea Plnntatlcma in India•

Uncternowleteont end genaral ualeknoea ~DGro evident song pSDOlo

W1nfclng ln garasrua or t'JSlklng along tho Ltaadee "TMto et:mmQd a

gmtetal lcetc of vltclltv• thUctran mel'O rc"ly soon running about

~ playing. Thoy ombloo along like old ~tt Uo~e obsol'wd

that tho vest maJority of patlen\o attondlng outdOOI' troctmant t!J9te

unoor nautlehad tWS enanmic.162 Stotlst.lcs obtolmd from 17 eu:o­

pean G~ZJMd gQdanu ln Ansem by Lloyd Jmms ahOtDed that infant morto­

ll'y reto ln t946 C!l8t) tae.o psr thousand buttts and matercwl m=ta­

llty maa as.e per thowand live bblhs (TaMe s.te). 16' Arnnng ttm

ceuaee llated by him f'o~ eU th1o wore mGl~lot bad mater SUJJP1Yt

lock of ptopo~ =nau~vancv mottteda, paott houalftQ end POtJt otondard

of rwtrition of the lcbtlUHfGe164

Ttte annual off1c1&1 reports on cmlgrsnt lemat 1n Asnam pub­

llctwd vital otatlstlee eusry f'lBl'• Homovar, like tM wage roturns,

cont•ct ... '•"- 160

R~al Bcn~el end Calcutta'~ o surwv canclucted tor the All•lndio Institute of Hvglena end Public HaaltJt1 Calcutt&e J.oaiaJLJ9)!t::

· oaJ. pf "AA&s!~t V~l. Xltlllt PP• 1)t•S6e

16t Jb!sfa• P• 1:54.

t62 Llofd Jonas• ~FAA pr f!m!t9aJ..Sea ,fe.;. JPn lli®MJ.mm.JA J.Qd&e, 1946' ~.,o.

164 J.bl4a

TOT&La

AVERAGE 1

TABLE • 5.18 -

VITAL_STAI_ISI~cs Of 17 ElJRQ.U.AN OWN..SD TEA ESTATES SURVEYED IN ASSAM VXLLijf. i946

Mortality Rate Uve birth rate Infantile Mortality Materna 1 Mortality per 1000 per 1000. per 1000 Uve births per 1000 cases

21.9. 28.8 189.1 38.3 34.9 31.6 37.33 58.3 2~.2 29-9 216.2 ~o.o

27.0 . 38.1 106.0 35.3 13.6 24.4 125.~ 18.4 18.9 32·2 193.4 58.4 24.7 32o1 1~6.1 ~4.2 .• 24.7 34.0 127.2 27.~ ~

20.2 36.4 148.1 17.2. 24.8 31·2 202.~ 24.8 22.4 28.4 231.0 22·8 19.8 22.6 166.~ 34.1 17.9 21-~ 189.0 40.1-. 21.8 28.3 206.2 32.4 26.1 32.8 297.0 46.3 . 21.9 34.7 1~8.4 22o1 14.7 31·2 147.3 18·2

380.4 ~14.2 3,196.8 ~98.4

22.4 30.2 188.0 3~.2

SOURCE• Jones• Standard of Medical Cart fgr Tea plantations in IQdla, 1946, Appendix III, p.70.

-266.

tha information on mortality among tea qardon lobnuro~o a:as ott.lgl•

nolly eent by gatdan managure. Tttase mol'o ttopl'Gducod ln the otrt­

c1ol ~eJ)orte mltttaut cny SCltutlny ~o;erdlng theh acCJmeoy. Thl8

wso admitted by a caniot officiol in hie confldsntlal lotte~ to

tho GoverntttJnt of lftdlo. tto roportod that the lnfo1'maUon rooarct-

1ng croctho of lebourero CI8S entbely ~ cto,ent.tmt on U.s reports

oubmitted by gordBn managete, thor:o being no govarmmnt aganoy fol'

tha raoleua,lon or blrthe encs datJths 1n tea gad9no.16' Tho

offlclal vltel otatietlc:o haw bnen repr:Gduc:ed In ApDendlx Tabloe

X end xl. A~nJondlx Table X covers the Aot and non-Act 1ebaur and

the parloG betmoon t900 eta 19,•J2 dille 1\p;)endlx Tcblo XI c:oue1'o

oottled let»ou:r tor: tr.o )19&ro 19)0.194?. 'fha rormer Gttome WJV high

~.toto of ~tallty esmang Act lebounra. Thlo 19 not ourprlolng

cansldemlng the feet that magoa pald ~ ttmm araro eJttratllf)lV low.

Among the non-Act category the adult lobovroro hnd a high reto of

mol'tallty dul'ing tho Phet two decada8• Tho yo@ 19,0.t9 mltnaaaod

a ~nal ll=roaaa ln the rate of m4rtallty fllhlctt c:as etblbuted

to the outbreak Of cholera met tnfluonzo 1n the toa dlsttlcte. ' 66

In tft9 post-1920 ,eal'G the rate of mortality smono nnn-Aot adult

lebOuroto contlnuad to bO high ln Lotchlq,ur antS OQrang upto 1925-26.

Apl'f'ndb Tcble xl ohowo campattativalv hlnttor rato or mcrtfllltr among

children ln &.el<hiqJur. Tho ~ate or moptolltv am::rng adults was quito

hl;h eJCCOpt during 194D-42 ontJ t947. In all tJttt ttwee dlsulcta

165 Govotmen' of nosom, GcMrol end .ludiclal oepertmont, l=t­Q'toUon e, f'Jos. t2?•J,, Saptembart 19J4, P• 20.

t66 Q.ALf3E.t 1921•22, P• 94e

-266-

tha 2ato ot marte.U.ty aoe thD hlghoot ln t94' anc.t 1944 (the ,efW

ot oxtnmaly hlgt\ prl.ees) • Moraovett ttw ~sto of mortaU.ty f!JO&

hlgtto~ among tho tee oardon lebourero cnmpa~ed to tho g~al

~pulatlon outald& the gardena 1ft tho provlnceiJpJ,lt f.ro,)

TASL£ 9.19

Rlilb .BaM l!tWJ9 Xga r*'utta.t.atzewruuvzd Gefm1!1 P,ppgla~ltm.)n .. tna !£gylf!Sfl..StJppflll

Pe.r thousand pupuletion

Veu In tho tea in tho gudono p~ovlnco

19)9 2t.79 19.29

1940 20.94 17.20

1941 19.72 16.19

1942 t9.2t ,,.42 t94' 29.42 16.24

1916 29.27 16.87

ttamsvo~. wo t\sva othar snto of otflclol ;!tel etat.isU.co ot

como or ttt9 toa eatatoa foJP the youo 19t9-20~ 1920•21 · ~

(baosd on prcpar-ly condUcted cnsrwye). Its compa~lson wlth tho

official ums ce&"l.so chOUJo that the tigUI'oa published 1n tho letur

&::Me aJltrocoly 101:1 (oso Teblos s.to ond 9.ao). Tha £nflt.fkv Comm&ttoo

aM.~ iMI'ml.A'HI Poatb aaa. Jngqna pr &rs lea &otae• Jn

RRWm BWdr~ fAA 1212:2A.GJD4 1239:21, ' 67

Natle ot amron Aat&o pe~ RUle OJ#

19t9-20 OhalcleJull Tort tstatG 99.18

Shanugwl Tea teteta 19'·" Pcnchnol Toa £otato 1J1.96

Oalhouslo Teo &:state ,,.44 Duffleav» Tea t state 94.97

HUelJull Anuja Tea t otetm ?9.J6

Kflortcheela Teo t otato tJS.oo

TaraJull Taa taute 84.S9

OhakloJu11 Toa £etato eo.» Oalhouate Tos t:steto '''·" Barmojon Toe tetete 16,.9,

Groartlend Tea Cetato '"·" KQbtra Tea teteto 101.0t

GJwtladlang Tea tetots e?.eo Kha~tdte ls T aa E e\ote 16.99

AaJbat toa lstete so.e4 Oahlp\tchtl Tea tetete 50.59

16? Gowtmcnt ot ftnaamt Vlmnce Ocp~tmsnt, lmmlgl'otlon Btanch, Pro;e. B, ~oa. 0.29e ~UftBt 1922t P• J9•

-269-

Qm'd.9ns must brJ ecceptsd wlth ~neitta~able t'oaeva. Tho GJCPlona­

tlon t~ thlo caution woo ttvJt tho ~tlng e\l9f\CV to~ areaG out­

elc:o tho tlunlclpslt.Ueo t~SBS UNSoulstadly ctofecClve end unrell&Sblo.

It awa ~1ntod out that desplto the efforts to .&mp~vc "th&•a ero

lnBtancos ln ld\ich flgurao reported ore Incredibly lo11r1 notcbly ln

thB coso of doattm at childten.o169 HaiUOver such car;plelnta fell

on dsOf e~o end ctaaths emcng toa gerc!an lobourere 1n tbe p~ovlm:a

continued to ba ~l'oportact. Thlo 1a borne aut of th9 fact that

even ce lata eo 1946 a uurusy NPGrt aamplalnad th9t meny oV tt\e

doetoro woro not fcmlller ~lth tho commcnly eccopted mothodo of

maints1nlng ultol atatletice. For example, the roport contlnuad,

tho tlguroo supplied on infantile mortality ropre®nted the ft\tllbel'

of infant dostho par thouoand of p~pulatlon instead ot thO number

of infant cseeths par thousand llva bbthst mlch au usually accopted

defln1t1on or 1nfonWo mortalitv rate. 169 It wao polntod aut that

flgureo collecbd ttttou~ tha survey (Table 5.1B) waro oonflrmad by

rehram:a to tho doUy attemSancc ohGsto, end tho bi~ttm end doothn

l'09iators1 ernt therefore may bD eceuptod ea reeoonably eccurate.

Thw, to sUD ~ , tho p1ctu~e d'lich cmorgod hem thB obow study •

eao not one ofA-'camfortable' and 'cell•fed' labow terce ln the

169 RAU:St 192t•22t P• 9S•

169 Lloyd Jansa, Qes.AA.. Appendix 1111 P• 10.

- 269-

of 'wage-agreement•, 'labour-rules' and •standardisation• ate.,

the labourers were regularly under-paid. Though nominal wages

increased aver t!me, the reBl ~ages actually declined. This

created a situation of under-naurish~ent and malnutrition which in

turn led to increasing sickness and disease hightening the rate

of mortality. The situation became worse during the period of

extremely high prices. However to keep the labour force alive and

working, f:t,e Gystems of advances and 'concessions' (subsidised

rationsp land ftr priv~te cultivation etc.) proved useful to the

en:ployerG. Thus instead af paying a viaole market wage it was

tho ! ~· .:l!J ti~.:e :J f wage in k.lnd which appeared to be the

major feature of capitul-labour relations in the Assam Valley tea

gardena.