proper remuneration and treatment of mining labour, and employers are now bound to find on the mining premises food and clothing, which must be sold to the workmen at a specified Government tariff, varying according to districts. This is an item of expense which must be borne in mind by all mining syndicates.
Mining wages vary according to the distance from the urban centres. Thus in some of the mines in the north-eastern territories labour cannot be obtained under 170 roubles a month, or 10s. per day, while in certain Altai districts near the railway, or on the northern side of the Mongolian frontier, peasant labour can be obtained at only 17 roubles a month or 1s. per day. In some districts the tribute system of working is still in vogue, whereby the workman is bound to sell to the mine-owner at a fixed price all the ore and minerals that he wins, but otherwise is free to work as he pleases.
Thus mining labour is carefully protected by the State in Siberia, and the troubles which have occasionally arisen with labour, such as those on the Lena mines in the north-east, are due to infringement of these laws by Russian managers, who have succeeded in enlisting the aid of the local officials, and under the cloak of the responsible agents have committed acts unknown to the foreign board of directors. As far as the mining laws themselves in Russia and Siberia are concerned, there is in fairness nothing to be said against them. Indeed they are in many ways advanced and even enlightened.
British Consular Representation
The inadequacy of British consular representation in Russia is a matter of common knowledge to all
