Little Factories That Are Really Slums

Chronicle (Levin), 10 November 1948, Page 7

Little Factories That Are Really Slums

. ym • rr Tr • = 1 '• " WELLINGTON, Nov. 9. " A real start could not be made in the elemehts of industrial health till a .start was jimde in clearing up the numerous factofy slums that existed in New •Zealand," said Dr. T. O. Garland, Director df industrial Hygieue, when speaking.oh ''Industrial Health and Safety" ^t a Eotary.'Olub function today. There 'wquid. not be a meltiug away of industrial health difficulties till > there was a meltiug away of slums, he said. : "There are special difliculties in the iway 'of the industrial health service in ' iv'eiv Zealand, ' ' Df. Garland said. "A good 'deal of public consciousness of . .. fhese is necessary if ways out are to be fbund and put intQ operation. There is the small size of- New Zealand industrv, aVout 19,000 factories being registered in the country, 16,000 of which employ "not more than ten workers." : While h'e could no.t but be impressed with " tjie trenrendous energy and initiative of the men in small factories, Df. Garl'and s?ticl it' viras not possible, fihanciaBy . speaking, in up to ten men concerjis, to supply the amenities and standards of conditions that the Faetory Act laid down as a minimum. This could be overcome if the idea of large factories took root in the country. "Horrible little factory slums," was how Dr. Garland described certain areas in Wellington. These small UDits were' uneconomical, unhealthy and inefficieht.' The need was to safeguard specidl groups of workers undef special dangers. Centres were needed for that sort of industrial health cbntaet. Ai) .industrial health clinic should be established. There should be trained persons to carry out the syatem. . "It is ridiculous to allow the amount of wastage of liuman product*rm that is_ goirig on ■ in. industry, ' ' said Dr. Garland. ' 'There is ino consciousness of it in the public mind. . I do not tliink | anyone, before I carne, found that there. .^ere 10 times more man liours lost in aceideuts than in0 industrial disputes. "rhefe'is n real economic demand for Jtiealth and safety at work. There are 10, 20 or 30 per cent. of excellent factories in this country but there are : ;(ibout 70 per cent. that do not come up lo minimum requjrement.s. Tlij's is not ^-o in housing. The comforting t.liin" about. this country is the hiuh standard of liousing. This is a tremendous social and moral asset in breeding good citizens, but whv not equally as good factories? One is as important as the other. ' '