5
from 5 to 20 or more other persons and 434,406 lived in single rooms occupied by
from 1 to 5 people. The cause of this extraordinary overcrowding is the high rent,
which makes it impossible for a large proportion of the wage earning classes to
hire a room to themselves ; and the majority of these people live huddled together
in large buildings composed of one-roomed tenements which are known in Bombay
as chawls. The average rent of a room in a chawl is Rs. 5 a month, but in
the more crowded portion of the City such as B. and C. Wards it rises as high as Rs. 6-\ill\ per mensem. In the northern part of the island it averages from Rs. 3
to Rs. 4-4 per mensem.
Comparative statement showing monthly rent* of single rooms in chawls.
Ward.
1893-1899 Average.
1908-1909 Average.

Rs.
Rs.
1. Colaba, Fort and Esplanade
A.
3-4
5-10
2. Mndvi, Chakla, Umarkhdi and Dongri
B.
3-8
6-8
3. Market, Bhuleshwar and Kumbhrwada, etc.
C.
4-8
6-8
4. Girgaum, Wlkeshwar and Mahlaxmi
D.
3-4
6-0
5. Mazagnon, Byculla, Kmthipura and Ngpda
E.
2-8
4-4
6. Parel, Sewri and Sion
F.
1-1
3-4
7. Mhim and Worli
G.
1-8
3-0
* Bombay Gazetteer.
In the Bombay Gazetteer it is stated that the rise in rentals since the year
1891 has been ascertained to be not less than 22 per cent. and it has become
impossible at present to rent the poorest accommodation suitable for a low-paid
clerk and his family, within reasonable distance of the office, at less than Rs. 10
per month. Personal observation has shown that it is not an uncommon thing
to find a family, of which the father is earning only Rs. 50 or Rs. 60 per
mensem, paying as much as Rs. 25 per month for a tenement of two rooms and
a small kitchen. Frequently a number of men of the same class, perhaps 10 or
more will rent a room in common and share living expenses, which under these
conditions will amount to about Rs. 6 per head per month, or perhaps one man
and his wife will take in a number of lodgers. As many as 22 such lodgers have
been counted asleep on the floor and adjoining verandah of a single-room tene-
ment rented at Rs. 3-8 per month. Pressure of high rents and consequent
overcrowding is responsible for the fact that during the greater part of the
year many thousands of people may be seen sleeping out of doors.
17. Food.-The lowest estimate of expenditure on food appears to be Rs. 4-8-0 per mensem for a man and about Rs. 3 to Rs. 3-12 for a woman. The
majority of adult working males of the labouring class appear to spend from Rs. 5
to Rs. 7 per mensem on food and household expenses, excluding clothes. A
number of men of the servant class live in boarding houses, at an inclusive
charge of Rs. 10 per mensem. Indian students, nurses, etc., appear to pay an
average of about Rs. 13 per mensem for food alone.
The expenditure on food of a family of four, a man, his wife and two small
children, was found in one case to be as follows :-

Rs.
a.
p.
Rent ... ... ...
4
8
0
Tur dal ... ... ...
1
0
0
Rice
6
0
0
Bajri
3
0
0
Ghee
1
0
0
Condiments
1
0
0
Kerosene ... ... ...
0
3
0
Firewood ... ... ...
1
4
0
Toddy
0
8
0
18
7
0
The man earned Rs. 10 a month as a peon and his wife made biddis.
B 136-2