184 LABOUR IN MADRAS ... 1 1 4 taken from the Financier of August 7, 1918, will be found instructive: “Many commodities are scarce nowa-days through the want of tonnage to bring them from foreign countries. A further contributive cause is the dearth of bags, in which grain, sugar, etc., are shipped ; the price of jute sacks has accordingly risen to unknown heights. Hence the prosperity of the Indian jute como panies, three of which, the Victoria, Titaghur, and Samnugger, have doubled their dividend to 20 per cent. for the past year, against 10 per cent. for 1916. The shares are tightly held in Dundee, Specimen Wages in the Tanneries and Leather Works of Cawnpore : f. 8. d. Un-hairers and fleshers ... 160) Scourers and setters ... ... O 16 Os mer Slicker whiteners As per month. ... Machine operators ... ... 1 8 8) Specimen Wages to Workman in Coal Mines :The average daily wage per bead is 77 d. The annual raisings per head of labour employed below ground for all India 169-4 tons. In reference to wages must be mentioned some ways devised to throw dust in the eyes of the unwary. Some manufacturers have started what they call a gratuity fund. Mr. M.C. Sitarıman; a retired weaving master of the Carnatic Mills of Madras, where this " Gratuity Fund" is worked, has well described its mode : The Gratuity Fund for women is a very ingenious devio 9 for Becuring constant and steady labour. It has its merits as well as its faults. A labourer after ten years of satisfactory and continuous service gets between 5 per cent, and 10 per cent. of his total wages. On the other hand, it turns a workman into an avaricious and spiritless slave of the system. Desirous of securing the gratuity fund, a workman gradually loses his self respect,
