An Eight Hours' Experiment.

Manawatu Herald, 13 December 1898, Page 2

An Eight Hours' Experiment.

Messrs Shorfct Bros., a sh ; p build, ing firm of Sunderland, have dis. cloaed to the world the result of an experiment made by them in regard to the eight hours' system. Seven years ago they, in the faoe of considerable derision from other shipyard?, reduced the hours of work f om fifty-three to forty-eight a week. They now express thorough satis faction with the result. Their men, they say, lose less time than former y and— paradoxical as it may readactually work more hours than under the long hour system. The old— the bad old — system required the men to start at 6 a.m. At eight o'clock they were allowed half an hour for breakfast; at twelve, an hour for lunch ; and they " knocked off " at 5 p.m. While this system endured, many of the workmen were physically incapable of maintaining the long hours, and it was quite a common thing for a man earning 24s a week to lose three quarters of an hour or more a day, because he oould not rise each morning in time to start work at 6 o'clock. Indeed, it is stated by Mr J. Y. Bbortfc. one of the firm, that from 15 to 20 per cent of the men did not start till after the first quarter had gone by. Uttdw

th? new system, tbe men start at 7 80, after having bad breakfast, and c nfcinup, with one spell, unil fiv^. For various reasons, th fdot that rb. experiment was being made wa» diclosed to only a few in>trest<n parties ; but after a severe and tx hnuarive test, Mr Shortt now op o > declares bin emphatic opinion tb*> be men do more and better worth»n foimerly, and are more healthy and contented, while the masters en* j >y an increased output at a decrea* Bed coat.