NO FORTY-HOUR WEEK!

Evening Star, Issue 25716, 13 February 1946, Page 4

NO FORTY-HOUR WEEK!

AERO ENGINES AND WAR DUNEDIN MAN'S EXPERIENCES Enjoying a well-earned respite from close contact with the worst of Hitler's blitz against England, Mr Walter Ratcliffe Smith', sou of Mr Walter Smith, formerly of Highgate and now of Embo street, Kew, has returned on a protracted visit to his home town. A qualified air pilot, Mr Smith left Dunedin eight years ago to up aero engineering in Britain. Ho joined the firm of Messrs D. Napier and Sons Ltd., aero engine manufacturers, as an engine tester-fitter, and was subsequently promotod from tester's mate to tester, then to senior tester, and finally to foreman of test, remaining so until he left for New Zealand.

The company for which he worked was among those classed wholly reserved, for its productions were of paramount importance in the prosecution of the war. Mr Smith worked on all the Napier engines—" Lion," " Rapier," " Dagger," and " Sabre "

types —and the demand was neverceasing, Pressure was particularly heavy on the high-powered Sabre en» gine, an engine which Mr Smith said would not be a commercial success owing to its enormous petrol consumption. The Sabre was fitted to the Tempest aircraft, which were so successful in combating the flying bomb menace, and to the rocket-firing Typhoons which smashed the German tanks in Normandy. " There was no such thing as a • 40. hour week with us,' said Mr Smith. " During 1940, 1841, and 1942 we worked 85 to 100 hours .a week. Later this was eased by the cessation of Sunday work, and still later Saturday afternoon work stopped, and the night shifts t were reduced, but when j left hours of work were still as high as 70." Mr Smith added that a fair amount of time was lost through it being necessary to take shelter during air raids, but neither during attacks by aircraft or later by flying bombs and rockets were the Napier factories hit, although high explosives fell all'round them.

Mr Smith made light of his experiences in the blitz, but admitted that his first experience of an unheralded rocket which exploded I,oooyds from him was a nerve-shattering experience One became used to bombs just as one became used to austerity living, In fact, he stated, he failed to realise how austere living was until he boarded the Themistocles to bring him back home. The food on the ship was good quality New Zealand produced, and he found the comparative plenty and richness upsetting to his system for nearly a week afterwards. The woll-stocked" shelves in New Zealand shops left him speechless. The voyage on the Themistocles, which is due at this port shortly, was not devoid of adventure. It was a long trip, lasting nine weeks, and during it a passenger jumped overboard at Teneriffe and disappeared; a mad fireman set fire to the vessel, fortunately without causing much damage; trouble in the engine room was averted only when a ship's officer discharged a firearm over the heads of those causing it; and finally there was an epidemic of measles. Mr Smith has returned to Dunedin with an English bride. She was a Miss Ruby Frances Foster, daughter of ex-Detective-sergeant Foster, ■ of - the C.I.D. Mrs Smith, served with United States Army Headquarters (Intelligence Section) in Paris for six months, going there almost immediately following the American i entry, while the streets were still highly dangerous because of the operations of snipers who considered " fair game " anyone who wore a tin helmet. Mrs Smith refused to wear one.