HC Deb 15 July 1915 vol 73 cc1011-3W
Mr. M. BARLOW

asked the Minister of Munitions whether he will cause inquiry to be made as to whether the factory at Woolwich is working short time or is not fully occupied with work; whether he is aware of the uneasiness caused amongst munition workers in the North who are being pressed to work and who, in many cases, are working long

Allegation made. Reply.
1. That all orders for 3-in. guns (antiaircraft) have been withdrawn from the factory, and placed with a firm that has no experience in the manufacture of arms. Untrue. No such orders have been taken away, and full activity continues.
2. That in the fitters' gallery of the field gun shop the majority of the vices are standing unused. Misleading. The men are all fully occupied, working in a more conveniently situated shop. There has been no decrease in their numbers.
3. That in the gun factory forges there is little work; the 40-ton hammer is quite idle; the 30-cwt. hammer is idle; the 2,000-ton press has been worked one shift only during the War on odd jobs. Untrue. The forges have been busy. The 3-ton, 7-ton and 10-ton hammers have been working day and night shifts since the beginning of the War, for the greater part of the period six days a week, and the 5-ton hammer has been repaired and brought into use. The 40-ton hammer was working day and night shift from November to May, when the special heavy work on which it was employed came to an end. The men on it were put on to other tools. The 30-cwt. hammer is an old tool, and is used when there is suitable work for it. The 3,000-ton press, not 2,000-ton as stated, has been working from seventy to seventy-four hours a week from August until the present time, with the exception of a fortnight at the end of June.
4. That the 2,000-ton press has made 13.5-in. shells before, and could make shells at the rate of 200 a week. Misleading. It has been used to make shells in the past, but was found unsuitable for the work (for which it was not designed), and there were constant breakdowns of a dangerous character. It cannot be used for making shells without great risk to the men and to the plant.
5. That the 30-cwt. hammer could be used to forge 18-pounder guns. Untrue. It is not suitable for the work.
6. That the new annexe of the field gun shop is only half used. If this refers to the extension of the milling shop, it is misleading. It has not hitherto been possible to obtain high-class millers in sufficient numbers to fill it.

hours overtime; and whether, if there is such shortage of munition work at Woolwich, he can arrange for some of the workers there to come to the North, and assist munition workers in the areas where the pressure of munition work is very great.

Mr. FORSTER

The following statement deals seriatim with allegations made with regard to the work of the Royal Gun Factory, Woolwich:—

Allegation made. Reply.
7. That work on 18-pounder guns in the field gun section has now ceased. The total orders for 18-pounder guns amount to only 198 since war began, and the field gun section could turn out ten to sixteen 18-pounder guns a week. Untrue and misleading. 18-pounder gun work is still being carried on in this section. The shop is also engaged on guns of other kinds besides 18-pounders, and has, in addition, to make spare parts and do repairs. All available men have been fully employed on urgent work.
8. In some departments men are only working eight hours a day. Misleading. There may be a few individuals who from weak health or other causes are not exceeding forty-eight hours, but there is no department in which the working hours are not longer.
9. That in the sighting room of the Royal Gun Factory on a certain Sunday in June two gangs of six fitters came in, but did not do a stroke of work. No such incident can be traced.
10. That clay workers have been invited to come to Woolwich Arsenal from Cornwall as labourers, although there are plenty of labourers in Woolwich. Misleading. The men are not ordinary labourers, but highly efficient excavators.