WORKERS’ DAY LONGER

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20486, 21 February 1941, Page 7

WORKERS’ DAY LONGER

TRANSPORT IN BLACKOUT HIGH FATALITY RISK EARLY MONTHS OF WAR (British Official Wireless.) Reed. 9 a.m. RUGBY, Feb. 19. The chief inspector of factories in England, in reports just issued referring to the war as it affected factories and factory workers during the first four months, says: “A summary of the war situation is that while modern housing estates have taken the factory workers away from the centre of the towns into better surroundings, this has created a traffic problem in the blackout which has led to a prolongation of the working day to a very considerable extent. The transport position has been examined and it is now being put on a sounder footing through the efforts of the Ministry of Transport and welfare officers of Ihe Ministry of Labour. It is still felt, however, that transport difficulties need the serious attention of all concerned as a vital matter for the preservation of the health and wellbeing of factory workers.” Highest on Record The chief inspector also says: “One indication that our nation would' not believe was inevitable is given by the fatalities in September, 1939. In spite cf warnings by the Government little effort was made for the blackout cf our factories up to this time and, as a consequence, many fatalities occurred. The number of fatalities for this month is the highest of which I can find a record. Accidents due to. falling through roofs were early seen to be serious and warnings were issued to the public.”

The report added that in comparatively few cases, even when considerably difficulty was experienced, had it been found impossible not to provide air-raid shelters somewhere on factory premises.