'Mesopotamian Transport Commission. Report of the Commission Appointed by the Government of India with the Approval of the Right Hon'ble The Secretary of State for India, to Enquire into Questions Connected with the Organisation and Administration of the Railway and River Transport in Mesopotamia' [‎15v] (30/114)

20
Skilled labour.
Housing and
health of men.
Skilled labour.
O a „w mnstprs have on manv occasions commanded the largest
jSXfcWfiSR"--- h " b " D
111 The manning of all vessels has recently been under consideration and
. • i ^ decided on When these reductions are efiected the
certain reductions manne< i so { ar as number of Indian ratings is concerned.
IpTiXes B.( r 2Tand B (3) shew the crews as they will be when the rearrangement
is completed.
112 What we have written about quality of labour and terms of agreement
in mrasraplis 73 to 88 referring to railway labour applies generally to Inland
Water Transport labour also. All our enquiries go to shew that the average stand
ard of skilled'labour sent to Mesopotamia compares unfavourably with the average
standard normally employed in India, and has not improved in any way up to
date Practically^ every employer of labour within the Directorate gives this as
his experience and has shewn us much evidence in support of the fact.
i to Anuendix B. (5) shews the rejections from the dockyard for
atroroximatehr four months. The percentage of rejections ^ is very
high amounting to an average of 41 per cent, in Indian labour and 46 per cent, m
Chinese labour. We suggested to the Dockyard Superintendent that his test
, i i i.ove been very high, but he assured us that such was not the case,
Sl^ouW be employed at all. Next to the dockyard
the Macil re -erection yard is probably the largest establishment and the Superin
tendent there, like the Superintendent of the Dockyard, has previous experience of
Indian labour. His evidence was much to the same effect as that given by the Doc -
Y ard Superintendent, but he had not rejected any men except Chinamen. The
Indians had been persevered with and working along with good men had gradually
become more useful. The work at Magd being mostly nvetting and plating made
perseverance with inefficient men possible.
114. Both of these large employers were particularly emphatic about the poor
quality of Chinamen, and it is certainly remarkable that the Deputy Assistant
Director Re-erection, could persevere with Indian labour but found this impossible
with some of the Chinese labour sent to him, which was absolutely useless.
115 E eiections up to a very recent date were returned to India without any
further trial' The Personnel Department are no w giving rejected men a second and
third chance at different establishments and hope in this way to save a certain
number of unfit men being sent back to India.
116. Nearly all the Inland Water Transport camps were inspected and we
find the men well housed, well fed, and well taken care of so far as health is concerned.
The great bulk of the men employed are living under conditions which compare
favourably with Indian conditions. A few men, probably about 15 per cent are
still under canvas. Housing arrangements for these men are in progress or being
considered.
Appendix B (9) shews the number of men under various categories who were
in hospital on a given date in July and December 1917.
CHAPTER IV.
3.— Local Labour.
117. Except at Baghdad skilled labour is scarce, but at that place a considerable
number of artisans is employed wl ose quality is not of a very high standard, but is
improving under British supervision in the shops. W ages demanded aie high, an
men are not inclined to work far from their homes. Considerable progress has been
made in employing and training local skilled labour. AppendixB. (6) shewsthe
progress made. The men are mostly Baghdadis and Armenians and it will be noticed
that real progress in employment of this class of labour began in May after the tak
ing of Baghdad. The up-iiver Works Department is exploiting this labour to the
utmost and we were advised by the Assistant Director that the men are apt and
willing, and that for skilled labour this source of supply may be relied on to provide
a progressive number of skilled men. The wages of this class of labour is fixed by a
Lines of Communication order which also provides for a test and classification of the
men. The Directors are authorised to give increases on the schedule rates to