ANZAC TWEEDS.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 43, 14 January 1921, Page 5

ANZAC TWEEDS.

A IIUGE SUCCESS. HIGH WAGES AND BONUSES. Despite the gloomy forebodings of the Repatnation Department, which twelve months ago wished to stop the manufacture of Anzac hand-woven tweed by returned soldiers, the industry, in the hands of the Retumed Soldiers' League (states Melbourne Age"), has now proved to be a much greater success than was anticipated even by those who had faith in it. What malign influences were at work to induce the department to attempt to close down the factory are not known, but had it not been for the League and a strenuous campaign condueted in the columns of the Age,' those influences would have had their way, and many returned soldiers would have been the poorer. At present the factory is working ten looms at high pressure; and its products are being sold I in four States. The men make splendid wages, and have just received a bonus of ten per cent. on their earnings for eleven months. The factory iu now governed by three directors appointed by the Soldiers' League, and is independent of the Repatriation Department altogether. A very happy dinner at the Grand Hotel on 22nd December was attended, with two exceptions, by every man connected with the industry, from the smallest earner at the loom to the hoard of trustees. The dinner preceded the presentation by the chairman of the trust, Mr G. J. C. Dyett, of the bonuses earned by the operatives. In making the presentation, Mr Dyett said that some twelve months ago, after two and a-half years' operation, the Repatriation Department decided to close the factory down. After a number of deputations from the League to the Prime Minister and Minister of Repatriation, and in the face of much opposition, the Government decided to hand the industry over to a hoard of trustees from the league. Those appointed were Messrs Dyett, Cull and Lowry, of the Soldiers' League, with Mr J. M. Gillespie as financial adviser and. Mr Ackeroyd as secretary. Since then success had followed on success. It was now his pleasing duty to hand over to the operatives a bonus representing 10 per cent. of their earnings in the past eleven months. It was interesting to know that the average salary earned in the factory was now £8 a week. Some men earned as much as £10 a week and over. One man would receive £25 as bonus and he ha-d only been at the factory nine months. The resuits were highly satisfactory. The business belonged to tlie men. The trustees were the managers, but they received no payment. Mr Gillespie had devoted a great amount of time to the fmancial work, and the thanks of all were due to him for his efforts. Business had developed to such an extent that there were now 21 employees instead of the four which the trust had taken over eleven months ago. The outpat had increased by over 400 per cent. If the business were wound-up to-day each man, apart from his salary and bonus, would receive mu £150 to £200; but he hoped that industry would go on as it had been going until each man's share would he worth £1000. Everything dcpended on the men themselves, whose services had. been loyal and praiseworthy. During the time the Repatriation Department had been in control the industry lost over £1000. Before the League could take it over the trustees had to horrow money. The department had advanced £1000. They would he pleased to learn that the money had been paid back in full. (Cheers). The industry had now no liabilities. The trustees were anxious to get a larger huilding, and they hoped to be able to secure certain looms which could be operated by soldiers having but one arm or one leg. The latter proposal would depend on whether larger supplies of yarn could he obtained. About £10,000 would be required to obtain the larger premises and equipment required. The trustees could have paid the men a much larger bonus, but it was desirable to have a big reserve capitalised in the interests of the operatives. A bonus of five per cent: on the earnings had been paid to the woman employees in the industry. There was one matter he could not omit, and that was the very large part played by the "Age" in keeping the industry alive. ILe would remind them that but for the strenuous fight put up by that journal for the retention of the indus- • try there would have been no Anzac tweed factory to-day. (Cheers). Mr J. A. Gillespie said he was very keen on the eo-operative principle in business, and he believed iii employees having a fair share of the profits. They had had a very good demonstration of the success of the principle that night. (Cheers). Mr J. H. Donnelly, foreman at the fac-

tory , said 732 yards of cloth per week were being woven by ten looms, or an average of 73.2 yards per loom. The yarn used amounted to 7501b: The factory was now exceeding the supply limit of yarn by 2501b per week. The 732 yards of cloth when finished represented 624 yards. In an average working day a power loom would weave 29 yards of cloth. The average at the Anzac factory wag about 14 yards a day of eight hours, but each operator had to wind his own hobbins, which took an hour and a half te two hours a day. If that time had not been so spent the output by hand loom would be as great as that by machine.