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tion is such as richly to repay an adequate expenditure 

 in increasing- it. This state of things indicates the 

 propriety of high wages ; and the generally scanty 

 population of Assam, its remote position, and its 

 difficulty of access for poor people from the populous 

 parts of India, indicate the expediency of having 

 resort to a systematic course of proceeding in the 

 importation of labour from other parts of India. 

 But it is not for Government but for those immedi- 

 ately interested in the Tea plantations of Assam, to 

 apply themselves to this as to other requirements of 

 their position. If they do so, they may be sure 

 that whatever Government can legitimately do to 

 facilitate their endeavours, will be readily done." 



Following out the abstract principle argument, 

 and again ignoring the practical fact that the normal 

 rates of wages in many countries is three or four 

 times greater than in India, the planters were in- 

 formed that the Sugar planters of Mauritius found 

 it to their advantage to pay 1 a month to Indian 

 labourers, and were told that if they would establish 

 an organized system of immigration and pay equal 

 or less wages, the coolies would doubtless elect for 

 Tea in preference to Sugar. 



Time out of mind did the Tea planters, to the best 

 of their ability, give general ideas of their wants, 

 and while imploring assistance, at the same time 

 express their perfect willingness to pay any rates 

 short of such exorbitant rates as would bouleverse 

 the labour market of the whole province, provided 



