Women's Labour in Bengal Industries

By Miss Dagmar Curjel, M.D., D.P.H. Bulletins of Indian Industries and Labour, No 31. Superintendent, Government Printing, Calcutta Price, 8 annas. Pp. 40. In this interesting brochure of 40 pages Dr. Curjel records the results of an enquiry held between November 1921 and October 1922 into the conditions of female labour in the jute and cotton mills around Calcutta, the tea districts in the Dooars, Terai and Darjeeling Hills, and in the Bengal coalfields. Observations shewed that the strain of industrial life is chiefly felt by women workers during the child-bearing ages. It would be better for the welfare of both mother and child if women workers were compelled not to undertake industrial work for six weeks before and after confinement, but this would be impracticable unless adequate maternity benefit was given, conditional on such cessation from work. There is a special need for the appointment of women factory inspectors,?a measure which has led to great amelioration of conditions in other countries. At present, however, social workers in Bengal have not yet taken up the question, whilst District and Municipal Boards do not concern themselves with it at all.