BRYANT AND MAY

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160723, 9 August 1920, Page 12

BRYANT AND MAY

SUCCESSFUL PROGRESSIVE POLICY. STUDY THE WORKER. At the annual meeting in Lindon recently of Bryant and May. Ltd., the chairman of' directors (Mr W. A. Smith) said it was a matter of great gratification that the favourable anticipation which he had made regarding their business of the past year had been fulfilled in the most complete and ample manner. During the past 45 or 50 years he had never presided at a meeting where the tale to be told had been a more pleasant one to the teller or more satisfactory to the hearers. The managing director’s constant policy had been one of consolidation and endeavour to make the company selfcontained, relying to the smallest possible extent on outside help. The last and by no means the least, important step taken in that direction was the acquisition for afforestation purposes of some 5,000 or 6,000 acres of excellent timber-growing land in Scotland. purchased at an exceedingly moderate price. Without going further into the managing director’s policy, he could say that it immensely strengthened and consolidated the position of the company for many years to come. Naturally, those improvements and further extensions would probably require further money, and the shareholders would be duly apprised of the form in which the board considered it should be raised. Shorter hours but increased OUTPUT. Mr G. W. Paton. managing director, in seconding the motion, said: Since the control had been removed from their industry prices had been reduced to wholesalers and retailers, but production had been largely increased, notwithstanding reduced hours of work, and the results of the year’s trading spoke for themselves. He did not believe that they could have any real steadying of prices or business in general until all control had been removed and trade was allowed to resume its normal function of law and demand. At the same time it must be recognised that there would he a serious shortages of certain goods, and they could not expect much reduction in values until Russia, Germany, and AustriaHungary settled down, got to work, and produced their share of the world’s requirements. (Hear, hear). WORKS COMMITTEE. During the year every question arising between them and the work people had been dealt with and settled in a friendly and conciliatory spirit. He would like to pay a tribute to the work doue by the Works Committees established in each of their factories under the Joint Industrial Council. These brought about a personal touch between the management aud the workers which was very beneficial and much to be desired. Their relations with the representatives of the trade unions, of which the majority of their workers were members, had continued on the most friendly terms. STUDY THE WORKER. If those in charge of great companies like this would always keep in view some of the things that troubled the mind of the worker there would be less unrest and distrust. The worker had a great dread of the time when he or she would be incapable of work, and the company had done wisely in making provision by means of their noncontributory life insurance fund, by which, on the death of a worker, the dependent receive,d £lO for each year of service up to 20 years, and also by the introduction of the profit-sharing and co-partnership scheme. It seemed likely that the Brymay Benefit Fund would commence its career with a substantial amount at its credit. To gain the confidence of the work- people, sympathy with their ideals and outlook was necessary, and only in that way and by fair and just dealing could they hope to remove suspicion and create that atmosphere which would bring happiness and harmony to a great concern like theirs.