WOMEN'S WORK ON MUNITIONS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2736, 3 April 1916, Page 3

WOMEN'S WORK ON MUNITIONS

MR. LIOYD GEORGE'S PRAISE ] MORE FEMALE LABOUR • WANTED The extent to which women are now being employed upon "men's work," and the success which is rewarding the innovation, are indicated bv a very interesting and informing volumo by the Minister of .Munitions. "This book," says Mr. Lloyd George in a preface, "has been prepared by an expert engineer, who at my request yibued - workshops in various parts of the country where the dilution of skilled labour is in actual operation. It illu&'rates some of the operations which women, with the loyal co-opera-tion and splendid assistance of the workmen concerned, are performing in engineering shops in many parts of the Kingdom. ' "The photographic records and the written descriptions of what is actually Being done by women in munition factories, on processes hitherto performed solely by skilled men. will, I believe, act as an incentive ana a guide in many factortes whore employers and employed have been sceptical as the possibilities of the policy of dilution. '"Being, convinced," the Minister adds, "that until that policy is boldly adopceu throughout the .country* we cannot provide our armies with such an adequate supply of munitions as .will enable them to bring this war to an early and successful .conclusion. I very earnestly commend this book to the most serious consideration of . employer and employed." Womon Operate Two Lathes. In the roughing operations in con-nection-with .tile work on 18ipdr. and 4.5 R.E. shells, the • women have proved to be capable of operating not only one lathe but two. It has been found that, owing to several minutes being occupied whilst the tool is traversing across the face of the shell, it is easily possible to remove the finished blank from the other lathe and replace it by another, ready for machining, without, any loss of output due to this duplication of work. It is not suggested that women should 1 be asked to operate two, machines as a general rule, but the fact that they can do soi shows that the handling of one machine is a simple achievement. Women engaged on projectile work are excellent timekeepers, "the record being so good," declares the official authority, "as to make it difficult to express lost time as a percentage." Inspection of the finished shell is, subject to sufficient specialisation being employed, * a class of work in which womon have been very successful. Ultra-specialisation in shape ■ of training to the use of one or two gauges, only, for instance, "has resulted in an efficiency such as cannot generally bo obtained by a 1 highly skilled male inspector using a large number of gauges. "Women have achieved extraordinary proficiency' in detecting loose base plugs or loose copper bands at the inspection bench." Engineers were somewhat dubious about -the employment of women on heavy shell work. Experience has shown that the actual cutting operations demand no greater strain from the operator than do those on smaller shell, hut that the lifting in and out is the all-important factor. Lifting devices, however, are being used in some of the factories, and upon the elaboration of this. system the larger employment ,of w r omen on heavy projectiles will depend. Division of Labour. It is admitted in the volume under review that the question of the dilution of skilled male labour by women in general machine shops, is more 'difficult than that which arises .in work that can be subdivided and specialised. Hero i 3 a specific example of the method which, after prolonged trial, proved to be- "an entirely satisfactory solution of a problem which will confront every shop employed on general work."

A man and a woman are employed on two. chucking lath.es. Before the introduction of women a skilled man operated each machine. The male operator is now responsible "for both machines, and the total price paid for the product of the two lathes is tho same as was originally paid when two men worked, theso two machines.

"The man gives the woman overy possible assistance, and, when the. total earnings of the two machines are distributed, the division is such as con-

sidorably to increase tho normal earnings of the malo worker. It cannot be too strongly emphasised that ' tho amount paid for the work is not reduced in any way. so that tho conditions laid down by tho Ministry of Munitions with regard to tho employment of womon on work previously carried out by men are strictly adhered to."

Apart from the women there are over 10,000 trained amateurs, now engaged in munition work. Every hand taken from the woollen mills involves an economic loss, but every unemployed architect trained as a munition worker is an economic gain. It' is hoped that the publication of this book will assist in removing some of tho prejudice which exists against the employment of women on work which has always i been regarded as reserved exclusively for men. "With a continually increasing demand for munition workers to staff now factories, while, at the same time, malo workers, even unskilled, are becoming almost .impossible to find, tho further employment of women," it is declared officially, "is a matter of vital necessity." — "Daily Mail." In Cood Hands. Mr. I. W. Raymond (of Southland), who is chairman of the Hospitality and Hospital Visiting Committees of the New Zealand War Association, in a letter, dated London, February 11, mentions that he is in receipt of numerous lettersf rom parents in the Dominion, asking him to take a kindly interest in their boy should he arrive there. "Needless to say," writes Mr. Raymond, "I make a special effort in such cases, but everyone connected-with the association is so anxious to minister to the comfort of the 'boys' that parents need feel no anxieties but that their sons will be well cared for.'' Miss Grant Sntie'is no mere amateur at the business of fabricating shell and other deadly missiles for tho use of the Allies, but is now the-forewoman at a munitions factory' over 1000' of I her sex are working. Miss Grant Sufctie has been prominent in the golfing world for several years before the war, and is also an expert skater.