LABOUR IN MADRAS 229 some information, and if it comes I presume that I may send it to your Lordship? Chairman...Certainly. LORD ISLINGTON Have you arrived at any idea of the number of agricultural labourers who will get the vote under the Southborough proposals ?...I should think that the whole number that is given in the Southborough Committee's Report, would bring a portion of the agriculturists, whether they be landlords or peasant proprietors. I am asking about labourers. Out of 500,000 odd electors to be established in Madras under the Southborough proposals, how many of those should you say would be agricultural labourers ?... The actual figure of the electors is 542,000. How many of those would be azricultural labourers ? ...I cannot say. I am not prepared to give the figure. Have you any idea whether it would be an appreciable figure at all ?...Of those 542,000 ? Yes, of the 542,000 proposed to have votes, would you say that the agricultural labourer as such would have any appreciable representation ?...He would have some representation, but I would not say appreciable represeno tation. There however I speak very tentatively, because I have not looked into the figures carefully, as I just said. You have looked into the question of the factories ? ...Yes. And as far as you can see under those proposals there would be no representation ?... As I say, when you take into consideration that 15 rupees is the wage earning capacity of the weaver in textile factories which is
