DAY BY DAY

Waikato Times, Volume 93, Issue 14538, 9 December 1920, Page 4

DAY BY DAY

At least one industry unknown in England before the war Polishing has been since |0 well of established as to hold Diamonds, its own in the world’s markets. This is the cutting and polishing of diamonds, h* which, owing to the enterprise of a Mr Oppenheimer, some 600 disabled soldiers and sailors have been engaged for this work in buildings costing £350,000, which were erected in 1917 at Brighton. It does not seem to matter if a worker has lost an arm, han*i, or finger—all that is necessary is that he shall have good eyesight and a sense of extreme accuracy. How essential are these qualities may be judged by the fact that every properly cut diamond has 58 facets, each of which has to be ground on a wheel. At Amsterdam and Antwerp, where hitherto practically all diamonds have been cut and polished, a worker has to pay a premium to learn the trade, and has to undergo three 1 ears’ training. At Brighton he gets no wages for six months, but receives £2 per week from the Ministry of Labour. At the end of six months he is put on a minimum wage of £2, which is increased as he grows more proficient, £7 10s being paid to some of the most expert men. So far diamonds polished disabled ex-service men have been sold to the value of a million apd a-half, and between £300,000 and £400,000 worth of stones arc being dealt with. Economists might urge that diamonds are an unnecessary luxury and that the men would therefore be better employed in some other industry. But as there appears to be an unlimited market for diamonds it seems just as well that disabled British fighters should secure some of the business methods held by Belgians and Dutch.