DOING THEIR PART.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXIX, Issue LXIX, 26 May 1915, Page 6

DOING THEIR PART.

WOMEN MAKE MUNITIONS

In Birmingham women are looking after automatic machines and turning oat the lighter parts of machine guns, rifles, and the firing gear even of big guns (says tho London Daily Telegraph). They make excellent packers of cartridges. It will sprprise many people to learn that women are capable of manufacturing shrapnel shells of all kinds, from the cold steel to the c- >m~ pleted missile, and, in fact, any shell from a three-pounder to a twelvepounder. - They turn the outer shell, "make the time and percussion fuses, fill in the bullets,, and complete the shell ready to place in the gun. For this class of work women are peculiarly well fitted, their touch being more sensitive than that of men, while, owing to the smallness of their hand's, they are abde to manipulate small articles. The operations in which women are engaged in armmmition-manufaetur* involve no danger, and the physical work is small, as they have not to"work the machines—which are automatic — but only to watch them. When fusefilling and assembling parts they are able to sit down at the bench. * The hours are from 8 to 5, with an hour for meals. The wages are good. Many machines are lying idle, ow'inoto want of labor to work them. Skilled labor has all been used up, and, owing to the action of the trade unions, the employers have not in all cases been allowed to supplement their staffs with women.