MANY ENROLMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 51, 1 March 1941, Page 11

MANY ENROLMENTS.

AIR FORCE AUXILIARY.

WOMEN ANSWER CALL.

(P.A.) WELLINGTON", Friday. Seventeen hundred Xew Zealand women have applied for enrolment in the Women's Auxiliary Air force. Of these ISO will begin duty at Rongotai about April 1. releasing men for overseas training or for service in other armed forces. Women will be taken on at other, air force stations as opportunity offers. The apes of the applicants range from IS to 50. with an average of about 30.

Mrs. C. I. Carlyon, of the Air Department, who ha<> been in charge of the organisation, said to-day that the quality of tlie women offering was excellent: Most of them were at present living at home and not working, so there would not be the dislocation of business feared in some quarters. Applications hud not been accepted from women in manufacturing industries or from key workers in other trades and professions. The number offering; was xtiflicient to enable n good choice to be made. , . Application!) closed officially on February 14, but to meet wastage the consideration of further applications wae not being refused. All applications will go before the Air Foriv Selection Committee and ,i meiiiU'r of the Women's War Service Auxiliary early in March. Candidates will then be medically examined. Si.me of those successful! such as phortlwnd-typists and wartresses. will be able to begin duty immediately. Others in more specialised occupations may have to undergo training for periods, ranging up to six months. All are required to undertake service in any capacity anywhere in Xew Zealand for the duration of the war.

Sam|tle uniforms have already been made up. They are smartly cut from material the same as is u«od in Air Force officers' uniforms. They ronewt of a bolted tunic, similar to that worn by airmen, a plain skirt with pleats in front, and a l>l tie-grey felt hat turned up at the back and with the Air Force badfro in front. Stockings and shoos will also lx> provided.

Kai'll station will I, L . staffed .is far as pos>il)l<. liy women living in the neigh-

bourhood. as there will be no sleeping accommodation for them. There will be no officers among the women. They will be under the control of Air Force personnel, but they will be divided into sections according to the type of work they are doing, and each 'section will have a leader.

I lie main classifications are equipment assistants, clerks, tvpists. telephone operators. mess, kitchen and cooking waitresses, medical and dental attendants, and transport workers.