Cigar Manufacture.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 134, 6 May 1884, Page 2

Cigar Manufacture.

A letter from Seville describes the Government ciy;ar factory m Spain. The factory is 7000 ft long, and almost] i as wide, and very dirty. At the time it was visited by the writer there were 250 young girls m the vestibule, making cigarettes ; m the next room were 1000 other girls engaged m the same occupation, and on the next floor 3000 women as close as sardines m a box, m a single room, making cigars, some of them having their babies with them, not a month old, while dogs were lying on the tobacco stems. The women, were divided into sevens at each table, three on each side of the mistress at the top. Around each table were' shelves against stone pillars, on which lay children's shoes, socks, and clothes. The air was stifling, and the buzz of conversation was now and again broken by the wailing of the babies. The flooring was so dilapidated that it was possible for an incautious visitor to fall through. Two other side apartments lOul't long weie packed with ; laborers. The factory consumes 10,0001bs of tobacco per day, and employs 5000 persons, who receive 50c a day for 15 hours' work. The matron at each table gets her pay from, the women she commands. The demeanor of the girls and their superintendents O is not very highly spoken of.