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MANCHESTER EYEWITNESS
ISSUE NUMBER 21 SATURDAY, AUGUST THE 2ND, 1947


Industries in the North-west have been asked by the Government to draw up staggered working hour schemes by September the 1st, to go into operation by October the 1st. The move is necessary due to the fuel shortage. Proposals to allow bars to open at 6am to cater for workers coming off the night shift have been firmly rejected, though consideration has been given for the provision of "wet" canteens for workers on duty during the evening.

Manchester Royal Infirmary is going ahead with a £70,000 project for four new buildings: They are for the medical professor's unit, the neurology department, the cardiology department and the research laboratories. It is expected to be one year before the buildings are ready.

On Tuesday, Manchester Ratepayers Association expressed opposition to the Corporation plan to increase bus fares. Manchester Corporation want to raise fares to a minimum of a penny halfpenny (1d for children). All fares between a penny halfpenny and sixpence will be revised. Cheap travel tickets will be raised from 1s to 1s 6d (6d to 9d for children).

The tropical trials of the Tudor IV aircraft have been a "complete success". On Wednesday, Air Vice Marshal Bennet completed a 10,000 mile trip in the new aircraft, which is built at the Avro Works, Woodford, Cheshire, 12 miles south of Manchester.

The Tudor series is based on the highly successful Lancaster bomber. The aircraft will shortly go into service with British South American Airways.

There has been a glut of vegetables all week at Smithfield Market. On Friday, one wholesaler was unable to get rid of kidney benas at 1d a lb, and asked people to take them away. Pears, plums and Dutch tomatoes have been selling at 9d and 1s a pound. English tomatoes are only just making the controlled price of 1s 6d.

The greatest holiday rush since before the war got underway on Saturday, first day of the August bank holiday (though some areas will be working on Monday). The A6, the road from Manchester to Blackpool, became the busiest in the country. Police used a "flying eye" plane to control the traffic. A record number of coaches were used, and extra trains took holidaymakers away to seaside towns on the Lancashire coast and other resorts.

For those content to stay in Manchester, the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Show has been attracting large numbers of people to its 45 acre exhibition area in Salford. Every day, farmers from all over the country have been placing orders worth £10,000. There was sunny weather for the show on Friday, but thundery weather is forecast, expected to arrive from the west later today.


Bus travel is a crucial expense, especially for those living in Wythenshawe, who have to travel a long way into the city centre. Increased fares will eat into peoples hard earned pounds, shillings and pence. Here is a selection of weekly wages currently being paid to young people in Manchester:
16 year old Corporation boy workers: £2 5s to £2 10

The union rate for mechanical trades is £2 4s

Machinists £3 7s 6d

Women confectioners (trained) £4 10s

Young man warehouse packers £3 5s

Girl clerks (18-20) £3 10s

Letter press feeder in print works: £3 7s 6d

Girls for electrical assembly (14-18) £1 10s


Text by Aidan O'Rourke
Based on reports in the Manchester Evening News

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