Efficiency of Indian labour.

ALMOST every witness before the Industries Commission spoke of the necessity of raising the efficiency of Indian labourers. Some said education both technical and general was necessary while others thought more social comforts and housing conveniences would do. Nobody seemed willing to admit that Indian labour was on the whole cheap. An Indian witness, comparing the capacity of the Indian with the Japanese worker, pointed out that the latter earned 40 cents a day or 10 annas while the former earned 6 annas. But while the Japanese could pack up 2,000 boxes of matches a day, the Indian could hardly do 250. We think it unfair to make such comparisons without taking into consideration the condition of the factory, the class of men recruited, previous training, and the facilities given to housing, and recreation of the workmen.