Himalayan Times (1953)

March 22, 1953


Five

Darjeeling Planters Association

DISCUSSES ON .TEA CRISIS

(From Our Special Representative)

Darjeeling, March Hi

A meeting of the Darjeeling Planters
Association was held at the Municipal
Council Chamber on the 7th inst. A
large and representative gathering was
present.

'1 he President in his speech men-
tioned about the crisis facing the tea-
industries and thanked the M. L A’sof.
this district for extending their co-ope-
ration in their attempts to tide over
present crisis.

Mr. Hutchinson, Chairman of the
Indian Tea Association, said that
the situation, was more depressing two
years ago and it was indeed no exagge-
ration that the tea industry was Merging
on collaspe. He said that from 1-1-53
rice was supplied to the labourers with
no ca-b compensation in lieu This he
said would continued even-after the end
of i ebruary, 1953. Increase of wages
■ ' per head would be given with

no agreement to retrenchment. He said
that his offi e in Calcutta appreciated
the co operation of the garden Managers.
He further said that the gardens, must
improve the quality of tea and there-
fore regulate their outturn of crops

Mr. B&sak of the Central Food
Advisory Board who next spoke said
that there was a complete breakdown
in Darjeeling during 1950 due to land-
slides and that the Government were
faced with disastrous di-location in the
supply of. foodstuff. He asked whether
in principle if any State Government
should bo called to bear the burden
of the Minimum . Wages Act?

The price of rice he said was fixed
,» Its. 20/- per maund, as Government

.had to bear the cist of delivering the
rice to Siliguri, which freight was pre-
viously borne by the Tea Estates He
said that mills were not running for-
went of paddy and no mills have pro-
duced any substantial quantity. He said '
that one seer of rice will continue to be
given pqr head during 1953 and' they
shall have to make the difference by
other cereal foods. He told the gardeners
tha,t they should well regulate their
budget and cut out .expenses where net
necessary, less they be caught unawares.
Ho further said that if the gardens must
.survive then they must scrutinise their
budget and adopt measures as promptly
as possible- V .

Sri S. Dutit; Mazumdar, Deputy
Commissioner, Darjeeling, said that ho
had all along .been - attending meetings
of the. Association's and also .have had
the opportunity of studying the trends
of tlie industry. He said we meet under
better, atmosphere as the crisis is at its
end. He also said that the end of
crisis bping in s-ght he hoped that the
Industry will offer better wages to the
labourers and thereby help Government.
He also spoke about primary education
in .tea gardens which he said was very
important. He lastly appealed to ail
Managers to co-operate with the limited
staff under disposal of Government to
eradicate the evil of gambling and illicit
distillation of liquor which was prevailent
in tea gardens. He said that during the
present crisis very few incidents took
place in the gardens the reason for
which was due to the sacrifice and good
sense of the labour force.

The minute terminated with a
witty speech delivered by Mr. .1 L.
Llewellyn, Dv. Chairman and Adviser
Indian Tea Association, who kept the
audience roaring with laughter in his
own inimitable style.