"BE PREPARED."

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 91, 18 April 1941, Page 9

"BE PREPARED."

Women Must Take Individual Action. A vigorous "straight-from-the-shoulder', ta,lk on ''Women and tho War" was given to an enthusiastic. audience of women in th-e Y.W.C.A. Assembly Hall yesterday afternoon by Miss Evelyn Gardiner, of tho Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company. The meeting, to which a H women were invited, was arranged l>y a group of women, one of whom was l>r. Hilda Xorthcroft. AVith Mrs. E. W. Moore, deputy-chairman of the district committee of the Women's War (Service Auxiliary, Dr. Xorthcroft received the guests. "Be prepared. Tn thin war everything depends on the individual," was the keynote of Miss Gardiner's address. " The Government has great things to consider in time of war, and citizens must not be a drag on it. They must act for themselves, as we in London did, immediately on the outbreak of J war. " If a raider were to drop shells here now (and it would be the easiest thiiifi in the world), would we each of us know what to do?" Mise Gardiner asked. '"Have we a plan? Has every housewife a Jirstaid box and bucket of sand ready , ; Has ehe a supply of blankets on which she can lay her hands if needed? If there m a car at the house, is the petrol handy? What about food and warm clothing, and plans for children and any sick people? I am not saving it will happen here, but it may. "The provision of Ijhese necessities makee a bulwark of the people in time of war. It is important, too, to look to our health eo that we shall not be a nuisance to the authorities." "Talk and Act Victory." Miss Gardiner also pointed out the need for preparing one's house for hasty evacuation. "Because my home in Kngland was ready for emergency, T was able to leave for Australia at four days' notice. We had also made a dugout of our own without waiting for the Government to provide shelters.' . Of the subversive, element, Miss Gardiner said: "A fifth columnist is not necessarily dressed as a foreigner. He may be one of us. He ie the person who says 'If we win the war.' instead of 'We shall win the. war.' He is the person who spreads rumours, who show* discontent with British rule, who is anxious only to make money nut of this war. To sabotage the morale of the people is as damaging as to sabotage munition*?.

''We, as women, can encourage our men to be. satisfied with what they have. Even now, when every minute is needed for production, strikers are sitting down.

'"Wo must rouse ourselves from iliU apathy and listlessucss: we must get out of this slough of safety. We must talk victory and act victory. We must speak out for the British Empire wherever we are."