WOMEN AND THE WAR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16022, 14 September 1915, Page 8

WOMEN AND THE WAR.

AID 'IN MUNITION WORKS — — KEEPING THE LATHES GOING WEEK - END shifts. The educated woman as a munition worker in Britain is likely to prove a -';&< valuable asset if one may judge by the success achieved by the scheme started at '•'*■&: the Erith factories of Messrs. Vickers an ' '"'"-" account of which is given in the Times of " August 3. There is nothing of the " * amateur in the first batch of 45 women S|B some of them out-workers, and the . "- >: majority resident at the hostel at Lesney %M House. ■"". *

These women workers include two master-turners, Lady Colebrooke and Lady Gertrude Crawford, both of whom find no difficulty in the work at the lathes, Mrs. England, a sister of Lord Loreburn, Lady Gatacre, Mrs. Greig, wife of Colonel Greig, of the London Scottish, and the ladies who originated the scheme, Mr* Moir, wife of the chief of the new Invea. tions Branch of the Ministry of Munitions, and Mrs. Cowan, wife of the M.P. for East Aberdeenshire. Miss Vickers is joining the next batch. In the sacs factory, but not engaged on the same work is Lady Scott, widow of Captain Scott who has joined the electrical department where her deftness, acquired in her art as sculptor, allows her to do work requiring great delicacj of touch.

What the Women are Doing.

The -work which the women are doing is on the 4.5 in shells and the 181b shrapnel. They do rough turning, boring and the preliminary processes, and Messrs. Vickers have set aside a special foreman to train them, the training to take three weeks. During the first week anyone who found the work too hard had the right to drop out and to be replaced from the long waiting list. There are two points made quite clear to all workersfirst, that having been trained they are pledged for six months of week-ends from Saturday afternoon shift at 2.30 to Monday at 6.30, being five shifts in all; second, that the appointing of forewomen from these batches of workers is a matter that rests entirely with the authorities at Messrs. Vickers.

The idea of the • training scheme is to have such a large body of educated women ready to relieve the ordinary workers, for whom it is a physical impossibility to work seven days a week and keep up the standard of their efficiency. Knowing that the lathes must remain idle over the weekend, as there are not enough workers available—in spite of the fact that Belgian women have been drawn —Mrs. Moir and Mrs. Cowan applied to Messrs. Vickers, and their offer was welcomed, as they made themselves responsible for those they brought to the works.

The rates of pay are the same as for the ordinary worker—Messrs. Vickers will not a take voluntary workers— they are not -~ competing with the industrial woman. i| Tie rate of pay is from 15s to 19s per. week of six shifts of 54 hours. Special Hostel for Workers. -.|§

I apwiiu lur workers. ! Lesney House, the hostel for those in U' training, is a pleasant old house' accom-'J , modating about 35 women. It* has a : . - ! charming garden and grounds, and the furnishings of its rooms are from the ' houses of the workers' friends. House- $,&|f room is hard to get at Erith, and before - J J securing this house Mrs. Moir made a tour * i IHf of the neighbourhood suggesting to people .-"' : with large houses that they might take a ". - holiday. At present those in charge oL~ ; - r ; the house are looking for further accom- sft® modation for workers, as Messrs. Tickers ; are willing to take as many workers as they can get. The women start out each.®tS morning in butcher-blue overalls, caps to match, leather gloves,and strong boots ,'j a necessary item, as there is much stand- T;* ing. The attitude of the other workers to iis the ladies from Lesney House is very friendly, and the old women of Erith ask < -f-< them if they are " making shells to kill ' T' the Kaiser." ' ■ •'