WOMEN IN THE MOTOR WORLD

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 234, 21 June 1918, Page 2

WOMEN IN THE MOTOR WORLD

AMERICAN ACTIVITIES. '"~ All the largo automobile factories in America aro employing women, ' states tho Now York "llvenim? Post." Indeed, tho scarcity of man power is such that thousands of women have entered tho factories and more aro beine added to tho rolls overy day. Enrly in tho war tho women, of England and France began to take their places at the benches and in the operation of lathes and othor machinery in the munitions nlants, and their example is being followed here. Whilo this work is not conducive to lily whito hands and perfect finger nails, it pays well, and it is. necessary—and the wages are tho lure. In some of the factories where women have worked for months they b«vo developed so that thoir work is as good as anybody's, they are dependable and careful. Soino are helping out in repair shops, somo are driving cars from factories to salesrooms and even out of tho city, they tiro invading every angle of tho business. At one automobile factory tho work of women employees has long been, recognised. Speaking of this a, representative of tiio company said; "Those who maintain tbat tho "physical standards of women aro degenerating in these modern days should spend some time in- our faolories watching tho women workers. They are strong, husky, and wholesome, much healthier than the men thoy havo replaced. Absences a.nd tardiness due_ to ill-health have been reduced to a minimum since women have been employed. 'This is due partly _ to the fact that women are intensely interested in this new work and anxious to make good, and partly to the fact that, being more regular iu their habits than tnoir predecessor, they are less susceptiblo to colds and other diseases.

"Our first experiment with women in the new field was in the parts division of our service department. Hero they were omployed as stock checkers and stock-order "fillers. Wo were agreeably surprised to find that women at this work were more efficient thun the men previously employed. The women doing this work aro more intelligent than the corresponding class of men. They are also more interested in .their jobs and moro careful by nature. The samo spirit that insists that parts in a stock-room be kept in their proper bins insists that pots and pans ho kept in their proper places in the kitchen. Errors in the filling of parts orders and mistakes in inventory due to careless storage have been reduced enormously since the taking over of this work by women. "Light assembly work on the ear itself was the next work assigned to women. Certain operations in_connection -with the assembly of running l>oards and other light installations were 'well within a woman's strength and required no particular mechanical training. On this class of work, too, women surprised us by their accuracv and industry. Final inspection shows less to criticise in the assemblies handled by women than when they were handled by men exclusively. ' "In the service repair shop women wero set to work disassembling jobs sent in for repair and jobs turned in for salvage. Neatness and thoroughness characterised their work iii this department, and I believe tho workmen would object to a return to the old order.

"Women have'not yet invaded our machino shop, but if industrial conditions continue to develop along present lines certain machine-shop operations will bo in women's hands before many months. Wherever an operation is handled by an automatic machine, oftentimes a woman can take tho place of a man. This is not always true, for where one man on account of his training can take caro of several machines, two women would be required to do the.same work.

"In emergencies that have arisen in the departments where we are employing womon, we have seen evidences that women are capable of doing much heavier work than is "commonly considered within their powers. We' have men, of course, to do the heavier lifting, _ but many of the women in their enthusiasm do not wait for the men to do. this kind of work, but do it themselves, apparently with considerable ease."

This week there has been a great bottle, . rally at Island liay for the benefit of the Navy League Fund for patriotic pur- ' poses.' Mrs. C. Odlin has been the or- J ganiser of the effort, and oven since ' Wednesday's sale she - has had sent in ' to the depot in the Sydney Street Sol- ' diers' Club 1300 bottles and 300 tine, ( while there are twice as many yet to ! bo delivered. As Monday is the closing ( day of this particular effort, Mrs, Odlin i is anxious to get in every bottle in the i district by then. The headmaster of the | Island Bay School and the staff and , children have done 9plendid work, and , have been responsible ion the collection of large numbers of bottles and tins. In addition the sum of 10s. was received from the Salvation Army Boys' Orphan- ; ago at Island Bay. ' Mrs. M'Evedy is visiting Christchurch. !

Mr. and Mrs. H. L. Holinwood (Mastertou) are visiting Wellington.

The deatli took place on Wednesday of Mrs. Helen Hamilton, a pioneer settler of Wauganui. Born .at Alloa, Scotland, sho arrived iii the Wanganui district when she was only four years of age. Her father, the late Mr. John Maxwell, settled in the ltangitikei, and a year or 60 later took up land at Westmere, where lie lived during the rest of his lifetime, the family thus having been associated with that district for 07 years. Tho deceased lady married tho Into Mr. James Hamilton, who was prominently connected with the early days of Wangamii. Mrs. Hamilton is survived by a grown-up family-Mrs. Cornfoot (leildin"), Mr. George Hamilton (Midhivst), Corporal John Hamilton (who is in France), and tho Misses Hamilton (Wauganui).

Mrs. James M'Gregor, president of the Presbyterian Women's Missionary Union in Mnsterton, was presented with a handsome upholstered easy chair on Wednesday by (ho members of the union, as a tok'en of their regard, together with an address.

The second animal meeting of tho Ngaio Patriotic Society was held on Tuesday. The report showed thai; the 'society' hod entertained twelve departin" and returned soldiers during tho year, and a ■ total of thirty-one during 'the two years of its existence. It was decided to extend the operations of the society in the direction of providing ench Ngaio man at tho front with a Christmas parcel. A canvass of tho district lor funds for this purpose, nnd for tho general work of Hie society is to 'bo undertaken shortly. It was stated• that tho response of local residents lo appeals for funds in I lie past had been very readily made nnd very The incoming .committee was instructed to consider the question of a permanent memorial' lo the Ngaio men who 'have served at the front, and to report to a general meeting within two monthß. During a meeting of tho Nativo Land Court at Kaiapoi the Maori women present, representing the various pas, held a meeting in connection with the Ladv Liverpool Fund, and Mrs. Pomnre's Maori Soldiers' Fund. Mrs. I'lutev presided. Miss Kahera Mutu, a member of Hie Executive Committee in Wellington, and organiser of All Iho committees in tiro- South Island, delivered a brief address, in Hie courso of which she Ihunked the Tunhiwi branch for donations ami gifts. The speaker stated that: she had been npiKiintcd by Hie Governnvent to proceed to the Bluff and purchase mutton birds, and after some trouble had secured 8000. Miss Mutu was accorded a vole of thanks, which was carried by acclamation.