SHELL SHOP WHO'S WHO.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11948, 6 March 1917, Page 7

SHELL SHOP WHO'S WHO.

DUTIES EXPLAINED. i* The Trucker is the labourer whs r pushes the shells cn low-wheeled trucks I. from one "street" to the next. Each' trucker has a notebook in which she writes the number of finished shells she carts awny (writes Brcnda Girvin. in £: The Daily Mail"). Truckers do r.ot work on liie bonus system, but receive a fixed wage, varying from 20s to 30s a week. The Machinist is the girl in the khaki overall and' cap who operates rite lathe. She does not require any mechanical knowledge, for the machine works automatically. Nevertheless, because the steel varies in substance some judgment is required, and &e the machinist is classed as semi-skilled. Sha is paid a minimum wage of £1 a week for the day shift, and 25s a week for . the night shitt, both of which are of tcvelve hours' duration. In addition, she can earn a bonus paid' on the pinciple of overtime. To -her time doo§ not mean hours, but> shells. For example, in rough-turning IS-pounders four shells are equivalent to one hour. If at the end of her day's work (ten hours in length, be» cause her mealtime is deducted) she has completed sixty shells, fifteen hours' work will be registered on her workcard ; so she will receive 3s 4d standard, money, and Is 8d bonus for her addi-. tional five hours' workThe Setter-up is the man who keeps the lathes in order- His duties are equivalent to thoje of a chauffeur who undertakes running repairs. Previously the setter-up was tho machinist, and in this capacity he tended the machine as well as working it. "When the dilution of labour came, fiye out of every , six setfcers-up were '•'combed out," cite' remaining- one undertaking the setting ./, up of the six machines, on to whioh -V girl operators were introduced. He makes £4 to £5 a week, for, in add'-, tion to his wages, he receives a bonuil on the work d'one by tho machinist* under his care.

The Mechanic is the specialist who, when the machine is so out of repair that is cannot be used, takes it down, puts it in order, builds it up, and hand* it back again to the care of the setterup.

The Viewer is the person who passes the shells on from one process to the next, having fust tested them by accurate gauging. Should the shells be faulty they are marked with yellow, red or green paint, and are "trucked on"when possible to coirecting machines. Viewers are paid' at the same rate as machinists, earning a bonus according to the number of shells viewed perhour.

This viewer must not be confused with the final viewer, whose work is exceeds ingly responsible, and who is paid at a considerably higher rate: nor with the Government viewer, who is sent by the Ministry of Munitions, and is responsible for the finished work of the firm.

The foreman has under his charge * certain portion of the shop. In addition to his wages, he receives a bonus on the output from the machines under his control.

The manager has the whole, shop under his eare, and in addition to his wages receives a bonus on the total output.

The storekeeper is the man in charge of the stores, who doles out cotton waste. files, grease, gauges, cranks, turnkeys, overalls, cloves and all the requisites of the workshop. luo timekeeper is the clerk "who cheeks the arrival and departure of the hands by riving out time-cards, which are "clocked''—i.e., placed in a slot beneath a clock which registers tlis hour and minute of the insertion. The pay clerk is the girl who pays the wages every Friday through the'offiew "u lndovv in small white packets inscribed with tno date, the number of the mar chinist. and the hours she has "worked during.the week. The relief worker is ilm woman of leisure who keeps the lathes running during Saturday afternoon and Sundays, so that the machinists may hare a rest. She wears a blue overall and cap. nd is naid at the same rate as tSie industrial hands. The hospital nurse is there for the purpose or attending to cuts on fingers or any small in juries which ma[rhappen to a work it during the shift. The welfare simerinterdonf. +hs woman appointed hy the Welfare Department of the 31iui.strv of Munitions to superintend the moral and social welfare of the hands. She acts as iiv termediary between the cirls and the manager, and is responsible to the nation for their health and well-being.