Mr. MACLEANasked the Secretary of State for India the total number of cotton factories in Bombay; the number that are owned by Indian subjects; the total capital invested in these factories, and the amount owned by British investors?
§ Mr. BENNI will give what figures I have in reply to this question. But I fear they are not complete. The total number of cotton mills in the Bombay Presidency in 1929 was 183. Of 172 of these the total authorised capital amounted to Rs.34,49,81,000 (£25,873,575), the paid-up capital to Rs.25,87,79,815 (£19,408,486), and the debentures to Rs.2,64,00,000 (£1,980,000). No information is available as to the capital of the other 11 mills, which remained closed during the year. Up-to-date statistics are not available of the amount of capital held by British investors, but in 1924 the Government of India reported that the total capital of the mills then working in Bombay City was approximately Rs.19,11,00,000 (£14,330,000), of which about Rs.2,33,00,000 (£1,747,500) was held by European shareholders. There were at that date 329 Indian and 62 European directors. I do not know what changes have taken place since 1924.