PRINCIPLES OF FAMINE RELIEF 273 



firmity, or in rare cases (chiefly in the case of women) 

 by social status. From the able-bodied a full task, 

 from the weakly and from the children over seven 

 years of age a smaller task graduated according to 

 their various capacities, was required. This was the 

 keynote of the system, and in judging of the system's 

 material results should not be forgotten. In pursuance 

 of this principle, vast numbers of inefficient labourers 

 have been employed, to the lowering of the out-turn 

 of work done per rupee of expenditure. But it was 

 deliberately decided that, in the best interests of the 

 people themselves, industry should be encouraged 

 and idleness or sloth discouraged. The best proof of 

 the complete success of the policy adopted is to be 

 found in the fact noticed in the sequel, that the relief 

 works had no attraction and that, on the first oppor- 

 tunity the people returned, undemoralized and with 

 cheerfulness, to their ordinary avocations.' 



The form of employment offered to the people who 

 came for relief was earth-work, as being the only one 

 suited for unskilled labour ; the embankment of roads 

 and the excavation of tanks were the projects chiefly 

 selected. The workers were divided into gangs, and 

 to each gang was allotted a certain measured task, 

 calculated according to their strength. When the 

 allotted task was finished, the labourers were free to 

 go, having earned the daily wage, calculated on a 

 sliding scale, according to the price of grain, as suffi- 

 cient to purchase a day's ration. Under this system 

 it was not open to the labourers to earn a higher wage 

 by doing a larger task. If the allotted task was not 

 completed, a proportional reduction was made from 

 the wages of the entire gang or of the group of 

 labourers who were at fault, subject to a minimum 

 which represents a penal or bare subsistence allow- 

 ance. Gratuitous relief was provided at the works 

 for those dependents who, from age or infirmity, were 

 unable to render any task. The great bulk of the 



18 



