A NEW ZEALANDER AT CHICAGO.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3769, 24 August 1907, Page 3

A NEW ZEALANDER AT CHICAGO.

Meatpacking Methods. Manicuring of Girl-Packers’ Hands. In the course of his wanderings through the United States of America, Mr F. R. Gillingham (Christchurch) visited Chicago, the theatre of the meat-packing horrors which were so graphically described by Mr Upton Sinclair in his “Jungle,” and by the various “ specials ” of the London newspapers. “ Oh, yes,” said Mr Gillingham, in response to a query, “of course I went to the meat-packing places—Armour’s and others. I was particularly anxious ,to see them for myself.” “ And did you see all the horrors ?” “There weren’t any. horrors when I was there,” replied Mr Gillingham. “ Remember, I can only speak of the processes as I saw them, and so far as I saw they were quite irreproachable. Everything was done in the mostfcareful and sanitary and cleatilyway.andl noticed nothing with which any fault could reasonably be found.” “ Do you think this implies that the criticisms have brought about’ a change of methods ?” “That I cannot possibly say,” was the reply. “ I can only tell you what I saw. But I must, confess that one thing did, seem to me just a shade overdone, and intended for spectacular effect. The hands of the girls employed in the meat-packing work are actually manicured officially on the premises, so as to insure the most perfect cleanliness ! I know that to be a fact, because I myself saw it being done The girls’ hands are thus kept in the most perfect order and are the very pink of daintiness and purity. There is no denying that.” “ Surely that is carrying matters almost to a pitch of, absurdity ? Don’t you think so ?” “ Well, I confess I did,” replied Mr Gillingham. “To me it did really look like a piece of ‘ bluff,’ and I felt inclined to laugh when I saw these packing-girls having their hands officially manicured. I said to myself, ‘ This is a regular case of American bluff,’ but I thought it distinctly clever,, too, and I daresay it has had a good effect as an advertisement after all that was written about the filth and loathsomeness of the packing method. The Yankees do know how to advertise. “ Another thing I noticed,” continued Mr Gillingham, “also struck me as possibly arranged for effect. There Was absolutely no ‘hustling,’ as had been described, no appearance of Working at highr pressure, no scurry or confusion. Every thing went on as quietly and methodically as if automatically done by a machine. The .calm quietude of the operations was extremely, striking and apt to produce a strongly favourable impression.