LABOUR IN THE MILLS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19311, 24 October 1924, Page 12

LABOUR IN THE MILLS.

EFFORTS TO MAKE IT ATTRACTIVE. Novel measures are being taken by cotton spinners in Lancashire to make mill life more attractive for juveniles with a view to ovenooming the difficulties of the shortage of that class of labour in the mills, declares a correspondent of the Manchester Guardian, The Crompton branch of the Oldham Master Cotton Spinners’ Association last autumn made arrangements for special examinations of cotton class students, and gave monetary prizes to the successful candidates at the end of the winter course. This example is to be followed by the Oldham Mastei Cotton Spinners’ Association, the general committee of that body having decided to give prizes to the* total value of, £IOO annually to students of cotton spinning classes who succeed in passing the examinations, which will include questions to be put by members of the committee. { The manager of the Smallbrook Spinning Company, Mr C. Scott, who is a university graduate and an ex-army officer, has adopted tiie suggestion of Mr J. Greenhalgb. president of the Oldham Boy Scouts’ Association, to form a troop of Scouts from the juvenile operatives employed at the Smallbrook mill, : the object being to organise and; educate the 1 youths'in their spare time. Another interest- | ing experiment which will affect both adults and juveniles employed in spinning-rooms is. being tried at Bolton, Spinning-room ■ operatives; on account of the heat of the j floors and to enable them to move about quickly, have always worked with their feet | bare. The floors are boarded, and when the wood becomes well worn it is a common occurrence for the operatives to get splinters , in their feet, which in some instances set ’ up blood poisoning owing to the oily nature of the wood. | The management of a Bolton mill has come to the conclusion that some kind of i footwear is very desirable, and has made ' its requirements known to a manufacturing concern with a view to the provision of a. cheap, light cover for the feet which will stand hard wear. Samples of slippers with ; canvas tops and plaited soles have been j supplied, and the employers are offering them ' to the operatives at cost price. Whether the experiment will prove a success to a great extent will depend on the responsiveness of the operatives to the idea.