BOOT TRADE AND THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2995, 5 February 1917, Page 6

BOOT TRADE AND THE WAR

SHORTAGE OF HANDS

MILITARY SERVICE BOARD

DISCUSSION

The Third Wellington Military Service Board was asked on Saturday to take into consideration the injury done Hie boot trade by the enlistment of skilled operatives. The Wellington Cooperative Boot Manufacturing Company appealed on behalf of two workers, Henry William Price (Eoseneatli), and Thomas Ward (14 Crawford Terrace), who also made personal appeals. Tho board was assured that the shortage of labour in the boot trade was delaying the completion of military contracts and creating a verv •serious position as regarded the whole industry.

Mr. H. Putnam, who appeared for the company, stated tliat the normal staff at the factory was thirty hands, but owing to enlistments and the decrease in imports entailing more work in New Zealand- and a greater demand for operatives, the factory was now working with a staff of twenty.- With other boot factories the breaking-point had been reached. Prior to the war there were 1400 operatives in Now Zealand. Now there were only 1200. The Wellington Co-operative Company was now at bedrock, and almost the entire work comprised military contracts. The time for the completion of existing contracts had expired, bufcfcll the factories were behind owing to the shortage of labour. If the employees in this case —Ward and Price—were taken, it meant that business would stop. The appeal was only lodged with the concurrence of other members of the Employers' Federation. New tenders for fresh military contracts were now lieing called, and the manufacturers had been asked to make special efforts to expedite the military work. Each man appealed for was a specialist. Ward attended to a lasting machine, which was intricate and required much technical knowledge. Price was a hand leveller, work entailing, a, constant swinging of a- sledge-hammer, and which could only bo undertaken by a fit man. ,A machine to do this work had been on order for tweive months. The country had been scoured for men, and advertisements were published in all tho city papers. There wero only two replies. One was anonymous, and the other man- was engaged, but did not turn up. The secretary of the Boot Operatives' Association had reno operatives were unemployed, and the Labour Department, having inquired throughout Novr Zealand, replied that there wero no men to- take up the work of Ward and Prices There were- seven boot manufacturing houses in Wellington, and, only two were available to meet the ordinary requirements of the public. Charles John Ward, managing director of the Wellington Co-operative Boot Manufacturing Company, corroborated counsel's statement. The man engaged on the lasting machine could not be replaced, and his enlistment would mean a total stoppage at the factory. The military work had to maintain a high standard and a laster would require six months' experience before he could undertake it. The lasting operator handled every boot that went through the factory.

In'answer to questions put by the Military Representative (Captain Baldwin), witness stated that he believed the State should organise the industry by means of amalgamation. The lasting operator was working at full capacity already, but amalgamation would effect economies and increase output.

Captain Baldwin: Do you think that if the Government organised a factory for military work tile balance of the operatives could cope with, civilian work?— Yes, I think so. The supply of 1 boots has got to be utterly inadequate, or all the men in the trade of military age left behind?— Yes. Supposing the board exempted these men, would you continue to devote yourself to military work?— Yes, certainly. The Chairman: If you aro solely on military work we will not take your men away. The Government work could not be interfered with. Mr. Ward stated that the factories coiild not use more unskilled labour owing to the way in which the industry was bound by arbitration awards. More boys and women could not be employed. The factories , engaged on military work were bound to a price, whereas the civilian trade was not. The latter had outbid tlio former as regards the employment of men, placing the contractors in an. unfair position. Witness added that he had cut out all civilian trade and organised the factory for the military work. The boot manufacturers generally were anxious to know what the authorities wished them to do. He hoped the Board would be able to make a general recommendation to the Government. Mr." Mack (member of the Board) said he would like to see the industry organised on the lines suggested by Mr. Ward, one factory to undertake all the Government work. Tlio Board adjourned the appeals until March 2, the mento remain in their present employment in the meantime. Mr. H. E. Evans appeared in support of an appeal made by,the employers in the case of James Walmsley, shoe machinery exnert, Glen Road. Kelburn. Walmsley had volunteered, but had been exeinptod by the Minister of Munitions. It was stated that he was one of three men in New Zealand competent" to undertake the erection and repair of certain intricate machinery. After hearing evidence, the Board dismissed the appeal. The Chairman said that Walmsley could be withdrawn from c.imp if his services were found to he absohitelv essential. YOU SHOULD NOTE that medals from exhibitions with regard to eucalyptus only testify to industrial usefulness, such as making varnish, etc. SANDER'S EUCALYPTI EXTRACT is endorsed by the highest medical authorities as a beneficial and safe medicine, and is proved at the Supreme Court of Victoria H> be perfect and without harmful by-effects. SANDER'S EXTRACT can always be relied on. Only recently the Melbourne "Age" reported that about 30 girls were suffering poisoning from eucalyptus lollies, which were evidently made from the common eucalyptus. The insisting on the GENUINE SANDER EXTRACT will avoid every dnnger; safe, reliable, and efficient. You. run no risk with SANDER'S EXTRACT. -Advt.