MIGHTY INDIA.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1962, 20 January 1914, Page 8

MIGHTY INDIA.

NEW ZEALANDER'S IMPRESSION.

ITB PEOPLE & TRADE.

Calcutta, styled in the distant past the "City of Palaces," still lives up to tho titlo", for in all the principal thoroughfares ornate buildings, which would grace any city, lino tho fronts. The first impression created by the grandeur is one of surprise to tho traveller who has never before experienced Eastern luxuriance. These views were expressed to a Dominion reporter on Saturday by Mr. J. L. Bruce, of the New Zealand Agricultural Departs ment, who lias just returned to Wellington after a visit to India on Departmental business.

Whilo not able to discuss Government business, Mr. Briieo was able to supply many interesting views and impressions gained wliilo travelling in that land of wonder, India. Perhaps in 110 country iii tho world aro so many beautiful styles of architecture to be found in ono town as in Calcutta, and tho added touch lent by tropical Nature enhances tho beauty of the general scene. Tho removal of tho oificial capital, says Mr. Bruce, soems to have stimulated Calcutta's commercial activity, and nowmany of the wealthy merchants are builaing handsome palaces on sites wliicli were previously eye-sores in tho district. Added to that an ImprovementJTruat lias been set up, and is to further beautify tho city, which still remains "the cradlo of the British Empire in India, the centre of its commerce, the mainstay of its strength." The Hughll and its Shipping. Undoubtedly tho trade of tho port (the river is the Hughli) is growing rapidly, and_ at the present tho shipping accommodation is insufficient to meet the demands made on it. The trade has increased beyond expectation during the List ten years, and official figures supplied by Mr. Bruco prove this. In 1901-2 the imports were £21,792,000, while in 1910-11 they had increased to £32,360,000. The export figures are still more remarkable, for during the same period they increased from £35,746,000 to £51,909,000— ample evidence of enormous progress. A Peep at Rural India. Mr. Bruco travelled a distance of 1400 miles by rail through some of tho principal agricultural districts, but saw little that New Zealand could learn. The native methods of agriculture aro extremely primitive, and ploughing is still done by tho "Hal" or "Sargal," which is simply a spike drawn through tEe ground by a pair of oxen. Nature is bountiful ui her supply of goods, however,. and prolific crops still result from land which has been continuously cropped for hundreds of years. Tho Indian agriculturist has mastered one eciencd, that of irrigation. This is rendered possible by tho ample supply of labour, and the same labour problem would mako the system impossible in this country. Indian Interest In Our Strike. New Zealand's rccent industrial troubles -were discussed at great length wlli'e Mr. Bruce was in India, and amongst the Anglo-Indian, class and the big commercial firms the opinions were freely expressed that the strikes would result'.in a great disaster to tho commercial trade of these islands. Tho stand taken by tho farmers and tho Government were followed' with interest, and gratification resulted when it was found that New Zealand had so successfully weathered the storm.

A great interest, according to Mr. Bruco, is felt iu New Zealand by many of tho wealthy ciass in India, who are desirous of retiring from business or administrative duties. Ho met dozens of Anglo-Indians who would bo worth each Irom £100,000 to £200,000, who made extensive inquiries about these southern lands, with a view to settling iu them. Mr. Bruce was able to extend a hearty invitation, and assured them that the Government Tourist Bureau would supply them with sufficient information to convinco them that this would prove an ideal resting-placo after tho tropics. "But," ho said, "I told them they would have to got over tho habit of having nativo servants putting their boots on for them."

The enormous population of India is not in such a bad state as generally supposed, according to Mr. Bruce. Sufficient work couid be found for almost all the inhabitants at' a wage which would enable them to live. A worker on the wharves there only (rets about Bd. per day, but he is not confronted witli tailors' bills, does not wear boots or shoes, and is able to get the. food ho requires at a very cheap rate. Of course the amount of work done by one native labourer would not in any way approach that done by a white worker in a more temperate zone, so large numbers of workers are employed. Mr; Bruce inspected a jute factory on the banks of the Hughli River, where, he was assured from the manager, from 8000 to 9000 natives were employed daily. When one considered that the banks of this historic river were lined with jute mills, ono realised the enormous numbers of workers employed alono in the one industry.

Calcutta's Croat Monopoly.

The jute industry is Calcutta's greatest monopoly, and tho history of jute is a part of tho romance of it 3 commerce. The fibre was first mentioned in its Customs returns in 1828-29, when 364cwt. were shipped to the United Kingdom. As against this quantity exported at the end of the first quarter of tho last century, the quantity exported in 1911-12 was 16,203,000cwt., and the value was over fifteen millions sterling. It was in 1855 that tho first jute mill was reared on the banks of the Hughli, and produced jut© yarns to the amount of eight tons a day. By 1909 the output of yarn had reached a total of 2500 tons a day, and thero are now about 60 mills, in tho erection and equipment of which a capital of eight millions has been invested.'

Mr. Bruce was struck 'by the high standard of the men in all the leading positions in India. As a matter of fact in India there is no room for any hut the high-class man, and the system of recruiting from the Old Country is so devised that those who are engaged to go out to the country are not required to return after their first furlough, if they are in any way unsuited for the positions they hold.