138 



as in the absence of conditions which make high farming a 

 necessity. 



59. It is extremely difficult to obtain reliable information 

 regarding the wages of agricultural labour 



labTufers!"^ agricultural ^^ ^^ ^^^ -^ -^ ^ gj^^p^ ^^^^^1 will admit of 



the condition of the labourers in different 

 parts of the country being compared or of a decisive opinion 

 being formed as to the extent to which their position has 

 improved in recent years. Wages are generally stated to be 

 paid in grain and the rates of wages are believed ^^ not to 

 have varied materially since the beginning of the century. 

 This view of the matter, however, entirely overlooks the 

 fact that a considerable portion of the wages has always been 

 disbursed in the shape of perquisites or other advantages 

 such as huts and small allotments of land for cultivation free 

 of rent, &c., and these additional allowances have been 

 adjusted from time to time with reference to the demand 

 for labour, the prices of food-grains, the efficiency of the 

 labourer, the constancy of employment and opportunities 

 afforded to the labourer as well as those dependent on him 

 for making extra gains, &g. For the old years the only sys- 

 tematic enquiries on this subject were those of Dr. Buchanan 

 made in 1800. It is really surprising that he should have 

 been able, within the short period of a few months, to collect 

 and collate the large amount of minute information regard- 

 ing the agricultural condition of the several districts which 

 is contained in the two volumes, entitled. Journey through 

 Mysore, Ganara^ and Malabar, Generally accurate as the 

 information is, it was obtained chiefly from the landholders 

 who would naturally be anxious to exaggerate the expenses 

 of cultivation, and the rates of wages given have, therefore, 

 to be somewhat discounted on this account. In fact, 

 Buchanan himself was fully aware of this and has men- 

 tioned several instances in which he had reason to suspect 



^8 The following instances of enhancement of grain wages have been reported by 

 the Sub-Eegistrar of Kar6r. In 1829 at Selappallayapxittur, Trichinopoly district, the 

 wages of a reaper varied between 2^ and 3 Tanjore small padis. Now 6 small padis are 

 paid, and if the crop has to be reaped and brought from a distance to the threshing 

 ground, 8 padis. At Merathur, Tanjore district, in 1832 and 1833, the daily wages paid 

 to a labourer was 4 small measiu-es. Now 5 small measures are given. At Sana- 

 parathi, Coimbatore district, the wages of a labourer, which was 4 small measures 

 formerly, has increased to 6. The above particulars have been obtained from the 

 accounts kept by landholders. In reply to enquiries made by the Board of Revenue 

 recently the following Collectors have reported a rise in grain wages in recent years. 

 Qoddvari, an increase of one-ei(}hth ; Kistna, an increase the extent of which is not 

 ascertainable ; Eurnool, a tendency to rise ; ifadura, in Ferixjakulam and Tirumangalam 

 taluka, a rise of 25 and 20 per cent, respectively ; and Tinnevelly, a rise in'the northern 

 part. 



