104 LABOUR IN MADRAS The meetings were discontinued, and on 28th June, full one month after my letter, I wrote to Mr. Moir, Private Secretary to H.E. Lord Pentland: 28th June, 1918. DEAR MR. MOIR, I forwarded to you for His Excellency's perusal my letter to Mr. A. P. Symonds of Messrs. Binny & Co., dated 30th May, 1918. Will you please inform His Excellency that Mr. Symonds has not replied to my letter, and has not even shown the courtesy of acknowledging it. One full month has elapsed and my promise has been kept; for, during the period I have not addressed a single meeting of the labourers at Perambur. In fact no meetings have been held and the labourers have spent their Saturday afternoons at semi-religious Harikatha performances. It was with some difficulty that I have been able to persuade the labourers to go without regulated meetings. They have found some relief by our regulated sale of food-stuffs. As advised by His Excellency. I have tried my best to co-operate with Mr. Symonds, but I regret I have not been helped in any way. I deem it necessary to bring this fact to the notice of His Excellency. Sincerely yours, B. P. WADIA. T. E. MOIR, Esq., I.C.S., Private Secretary to H.E. the Governor of Madras, GOVERNMENT HOUSE, OOTACAMUND. In answer to this I received the following: GOVERNMENT House, 3146-'18.
