NO NEED YET.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 87, 12 April 1940, Page 10

NO NEED YET.

WOMEN'S LAND ARMY

ORGANISATION REQUIRED

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON", this day. Xo representations have l>een made to him regarding the establishment of a women's land army, and it seemed thmt for the present there was no desire for it, said the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. W. Lee Martin, to the National Recruiting Council yesterday, when he replied to a report by the Mayor of Hamilton, Mr. L. Oaro, advocating the establishment of such an organisation.

Mr. Lee Martin said he had discussed the matter with women's organisations in November, and no suggestions for the establishment of a land army had ypt come forward. He was convinced the time had not yet arrived for it. If it' were started, he was satisfied that the whole res]K>nsibiUty would be thrust on the Government, and that there would be considerable difficulty in creating the desired organisation and placing women to advantage throughout New Zealand. So far, there were no real grounds to believe that women's organisations were ■behind the project or wanted to see a land army established.

The Director-General of Agriculture. Mr. A. H. Cockayne, said ■ he had not .been , approached since the initial meeting m November, but he felt there should be some sortoorf r organisation put into force through which women, trained or not, and desiring to go on the land, could be placed with a reasonable employer.