WOOLLEN INDUSTRY

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 44, 20 August 1940, Page 9

WOOLLEN INDUSTRY

PRESSING DEMANDS

CLOTHING THE ARMY

HOURS DIFFICULTY

How the New Zealand woollen industry met war demands for materials and clothing was described today by Mr. W. H. P. Barber, chairman of the Wellington Woollen Manufacturing Co., Ltd. In his annual address to shareholders Mr. Barber referred to the pressing demand made on the company's manufacturing resources.

"Unceasing effort," he said, "was essential to keep to urgent schedules for military goods and concurrently to do the best possible for our civilian customers. The most difficult, although not a new problem, we had to face— on the call for intensive output—was the shortage of suitable workers. We have, however, built up gradually a full complement for daytime work, and are extending the night shift of men that has been operating for some time into as strong a second shift as possible. A recent Order in Council permits women to work at night on urgent military orders. The Factory Controller, Labour Department, and Placement Service have helped us by publicity to get assistance, and we thank theni for their interest. FROM PEACE TO WAR WORK. "The change-over from a full domestic output to a large proportion of ordnance supplies could not be effected hurriedly without some inconvenience to our trade customers by delay in indent deliveries, and at times inability to book new business. The trade accepted such shortcomings with patience, good will, and tolerance, realising the position that had arisen, and we appreciate its co-operation. "In my opinion," Mr. Barber continued, "the woollen industry of New Zealand deserves commendation for having done a creditable job by producing in quick time high-quality supplies for the fighting forces. To substantiate that claim, I will quote the main items supplied for military use. It must be remembered, too, that there are but 12 woollen and worsted mills, all told, in the Dominion. Some of them are small and one half the number have woollen plant only. As the larger" proportion of Army needs is for worsted textiles, there was greater pressure on those mills having (as we have) both worsted and woollen plant installed."

Orders for the Army and Air Force supplies were received by the combined mills for the following items:— Worsted cloth (54-inch), 627,000 yards; great coating (54-inch), 313,000 yards; flannel shirting, 831,000 yards; blankets, 190,000 pairs; socks, 666,000 pairs; under vests (worsted), 242,000 garments; shorts, 222,000 garments; jerseys, 96,450 garments. There were also other side lines and items for the Navy. SUPPLIES OF KNITTING WOOLS. "This list," said Mr. Barber, "may I instruct some of those critics who publicly complained that in a wool-grow-ing country there should not be a scarcity of 'wool/ meaning, of course, knitting yarn. There has been a large quantity of fingering yarn produced, but obviously not enough to meet military needs and the legion of home knitters at the same time. "In the woollen mills there is installed a large quantity of machinery, which not being all usable for Army supplies, has been kept fully occupied on civilian requirements. It took some time for import restriction to make itself felt, as at its inception both wholesale and retail stocks in the; Dominion were high, large shipments i were due to land, and licences to. import were fairly freely granted. That position is now changed and in consequence heavier demands are being made on local producers to meet shortages in goods formerly imported. THE LABOUR PROBLEM. I "In these days of successive crises, and a disordered existence, it is difficult to avoid altogether the intrusion of non-essentials into the daily round. Normally, such might be important enough, but they seem trivial, relatively, to the defensive calls now being made on the nation. Recently military authorities wanted accelerated deliveries from scheduled dates, and the woollen industry was asked what variation of awards would enable that to be done. There being no possibility of adding machinery quickly, the first alternative was continuous shifts, but as expert operatives were not available, the next alternative was an extension of hours.

"The combined woollen mills— anxious to meet the new demands for acceleration—suggested, in answer to a question by a Government Department, a nine-hour day for five days, excluding Saturdays. Therefore, there was no apparent justification, so far as the woollen industry was concerned, for the hysterical outburst about 'ulterior motives to wreck the 40-hour week.' Whilst a vital struggle is going on at Home, and workers there are putting in long and arduous hours, the Dominion retains its week of 40 hours with other amenities which must be a drag on its war effort.

"This small response to the Prime Minister's appeal 'to work as never before,' could have been made temporarily, or, as a safeguard, a time" limit attached, but the hours committee of the Emergency Council refused the extension of five hours a week."