§ 7. Captain BAGLEYasked the Secretary of State for India whether the Bombay workers recently demanded a 10-hours' day, 50 per cent. increase of wages, and abolition of child labour under 12 years of age; to what extent, if any, those demands have been conceded; and what is the present wage of cotton mill workers?
§ Mr. FISHERI understand that the Bombay workers included among their demands a 10-hours' day and a 50 per cent. increase of wages, but I was not aware that the general body of strikers pressed for an increase in the minimum age of employment of children. As the result of the intervention of the Governor, the 10-hours' day was conceded and a substantial increase of wages given. I have no exact information of the new rates of wages now drawn by various classes of cotton mill operatives, but I will enquire.
§ Captain BAGLEYIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the condition of these workers is a menace to the standards of living of Lancashire cotton workers who manufacture for the same markets? Will he exercise his influence to secure an improvement in the standard of these workers?
§ Mr. FISHERThe Governor of Bombay, through his intervention in this dispute, secured a very considerable improvement in the standard of living of the Bombay cotton operatives.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODWould the right hon. Gentleman also understand that our interest in the wages paid to these Indian workers is not due solely to their competition with Lancashire mills?