1849-52.] 



EELATIYE COST OF LABOUR. 



173 



from 70 to 75 lbs. of seed Cotton per diem ; if worked 

 by women, the average out-turn of each was only from 

 50 to 60 lbs. On the other hand, it was reported that 

 the Dharwar gin, worked by two men alternately, 

 could clean 42 lbs. per hour, or 220 lbs. in six hours. 

 The reported superiority of the Dharwar gins, was 

 equally manifest when compared with the large hand 

 saw gins, which were built after American models. 

 The Dharwar gins, worked by only two men alternately, 

 could clean 220 lbs. of seed Cotton in six hours, and 

 could be worked for a whole day, thus cleaning 440 lbs. 

 in twelve hours. "Whereas the large hand gins, worked 

 by eight men, four and four alternately relieving each 

 other, could only clean about 500 lbs. in six hours, or 

 about 83 lbs. per hour ; and these eight coolies found 

 the work so fatiguing that they could never continue it 

 for more than six hours in one day. Accordingly, Dr. 

 "Wight applied for a model of the Dharwar gin ; and the 

 Madras Government directed the Collector of Cudda- 

 pah to supply him with one, but no further information 

 respecting the working of it appears upon the records. 



Relative cost of labour on the Churka, the Man- 254 

 Chester Cottage Gin, and the large Hand Gins. — The 

 coolies on the Manchester Cottage gins were paid at 

 the rate of one anna for every maund of seed 



Cotton which they cleaned ; but on the large hand 

 gins they were only paid eight pies (Id.) per maund. 

 This enhanced rate had been found necessary in the 

 first instance to induce the coolies to work the Cottage 

 gin ; but Dr. "Wight considered that had the lower rate 

 been always paid, their assiduity would have been 

 greater, and consequently the out-turn would have been 

 larger. Again, it is curious to notice that the coolies 

 only cared to earn a certain amount per diem, and did 

 not feel inclined to work more than was necessary to 

 obtain that amount. Thus the women with the churka 

 could only earn each per diem from six to nine pies, 

 that is from three farthings to a fraction more than a 

 penny. The same women with the Manchester Cottage 

 gin could each earn two annas, or three pence, per diem 

 With ease ; and they might, if they liked, earn as much 

 as k\d. per diem, but that they never seemed to care 



