TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION F. 555 



or two ill the provinces have put women into the tanneries, but it is only a 

 particularly rough sort who would do it, and is quite impracticable on a large 

 scale. 



B. Boot and Shoe Trade. 



Women largely employed for years, in certain parts of the work, but very 

 little substitution owing to the War. Most of women labour in London now 

 and before the War. 



Processes. — Before the War. 

 Main province for women's work is the entire making of the upper after it 

 has been cut out, i.e., machining, shiving, fitting, closing, lining, eyelet machin- 

 ing, &c. Also inking and colouring. In one firm women have done machine 

 clicking for years, but this is very exceptional. 



Processes. — Since the War. 

 In some firms women have for the first time been put on to such processes 

 as : 



cutting heels, 



* cutting out and sorting socks, 



* putting in lasts, 

 sandpapering soles, 



* lacing uppers with string, 

 clamping on heels, 

 riveting the insoles, 



* These jobs were in some cases formerly done by boys. 



but these are mainly preparatory or subsidiary processes, and the main pro- 

 cesses in the making of the shoe (excepting the uppers, see above), namely click- 

 ing, making the soles, lasting, and finishing, remain exclusively the work of men, 

 and there is no immediate prospect of any change. 



There is some scope for women in a few processes which are new and only in 

 demand for the period of the War, i.e., making, nailing, and quilting half- 

 soles ready to be sent to the Front, special repairs to heels, &c. Here, women 

 were put on to the work as soon as the machines were installed, and there was no 

 question of men being put on to the work which is very easily and quickly 

 learnt. 



Efficiency. 



In the few processes where women have replaced men (or boys) in some 

 cases the efficiency appeared to be as great, and in fact women were found to be 

 earning more on the same piece rate than men on the same job, as they ' stuck to 

 it more.' On the other hand, in some cases they were said to be slower, though 

 steadier and more regular. 



!^,B. — Where the slowness was most complained of was where the experiment 

 of girls' work was newest, and where (see above) the woman could fully hold her 

 own in the work she had been in the trade before the War, on a different pro- 

 cess, so that the probability is that increased experience would approximately 

 equalise the efficiency, but of course none of the processes enumerated above 

 are at all highly skilled. 



Extent of Extra Employment. 



On the whole the extent of substitution is probably very small — in one large 

 firm the substitution amounted approximately to 3 per cent., although about 

 10 to 12 per cent, of the staff consisted of women doing new (and temporary) 

 processes. Many firms have had no change at all. 



Wages. 



The whole thing is on so small a scale that it is difficult to get much definite 

 information. In one case the women were being paid at the same rate as the 



