244 MADRAS FISHERIES BULLETIN VOL. XIII, 



abuses such as the production of inferior goods, the adoption of harmful 

 methods, and so forth ; cj. the Fishery Chambers described in paragraphs 

 1 1 6-1 2 2 of the note on Fisheries, These associations are not of modern 

 date — especially in the silk industry — except in their present form which is 

 regulated by the revised law of March 1900. This law limits the objects of 

 association as mentioned above, requires that two-thirds of the persons 

 engaged in a given industry within the limits of a proposed association, 

 shall give their consent before its formation, and that when an association 

 has been formed every person exercising that industry within its territorial 

 limits shall join the association, unless specially exempted by the Minister. 

 The associations may also confederate to form a union. The officers of 

 the association or union may examine the products or goods of any member 

 according to rules laid down for the purpose, in order to ensure the quality 

 of the goods, and may mark or brand them in token of quality ; goods 

 which transgress the rules or standards of the association may be confis- 

 cated and the member may be fined. Annual reports must be drawn up, 

 and while the associations are entitled to make suggestions to the authori- 

 ties they must also be prepared to give any necessary information. The 

 Government may break up any association for misconduct or acts either 

 illegal or harmful to public interest. The rules of an association must, 

 of course provide for the standards, etc., by which commodities will be 



judged 



These important Trades Associations numbered 375 at the end of 1904 

 embracing 67 industries ; of these 102 are said to be silk associations, 

 43 relate to grain producers, 10 to the manufacture of straw plaits, 16 to 

 grass mats, 15 to wood and timber, 5 to fertilizers, 3 to indigo, etc. Hence 

 agriculture is well represented." 



See also paragraphs 186 to 192 of the same note regarding 

 Industrial Guilds. The figures have since been greatly increased 

 as shown in the Year Books. 



149. It seems obvious that in the interests of the business of the 

 consumer, and of agriculture in general, there should be Govern- 

 ment Inspectors who should instruct the immense number of more 

 or less ignorant manufacturers in the best methods, stimulate them 

 into co-operation, assist the .o-operative societies both in their 

 ordinary arrangements and in the production and sale of their 

 goods, and at the same time help to enforce agreed-upon standards 

 of production. The Fisheries Department has continuously placed 

 this object before them, but success has not been hitherto very 



