BENEFICIAL STRIKES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23088, 13 July 1938, Page 16

BENEFICIAL STRIKES

UNUSUAL EFFECT IN INDIA Tlio fact that the frequent strikes in tho jtite mills! in Bengal during 1936 and 1937 had benefited the industry, rather than retarded it, was mentioned by Mr. L. B. Burrows, late Commissioner of tho Burdwan Division, Bengal, in an address to members of tho Auckland Chamber of Commerce yesterday. Mr. Arnold Ely presided. Mr. Burrows said the mills had increased in number, and, owing to overproduction, prices and profits had suffered disastrously. The strikes bad had tho same effect as short-time working, reducing production and enabling stocks to bo disposed of. What was still needed, however, was internal organisation and a general agreement as to working bours and expansion. Although India was predominantly an agricultural country, her industrial development in the past 50 years had been remarkable, the speaker continued. Tho Great War had revealed her independence of outside countries, and production had been further stimulated by tho policy of discriminatory protection.

Mr. Burrows said much had been done to improve labour conditions, but tho troubles of the past two or three years indicated that further improvement was possible, Tho labourer still needed guidance and representation by educated men. Unfortunately. th<?re were many agitators who exploited labour for political purposes, and led tho men astray for their own ends.