WOMEN IN WAR WORK.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 63, Issue 173, 4 May 1943, Page 3

WOMEN IN WAR WORK.

BRITISH MINISTER’S POWERS.

LONDON, May 3

Mr Ernest Bevin (Minister of National Service) is going 1 to use more freely his powers of compelling women to do war work, says the ‘‘Daily Mail.” He intends to increase the number of part-time workers. An Order operating from May’ 8 will fortify’ Mr Bovin s powers, enabling him to direct to parttime work women who so far have done nothing because they have too many commitments, but have ample time to work in a factory six hours daily. This does not; mean that there will be a wholesale calling-up oi married women for part-time work, but the machinery now exists to compel any woman between 18 and 45, single or married, who has no children under 14 living with her, to do six hours daily in a factory near her home. “Near her home” loosely means the travelling distance betw’ecn a parttime woman’s home and the factory should not bo over half an hour or a twopenny ’bus ride. Under the new order, direction to work part-time will cover a fixed period which may he from three weeks to sixmonths. A new direction will he issued every six months. The National fcremco Director will not direct a woman to a job unless he is satisfied that the wages and conditions are adequate. Although there are more than 600,000 part-time women in factories, many more are needed, and Mr Bevin has mhde the order with its safeguards so that he can direct with a free conscience those women who will not voluntarily take up work.