W.W.S.A.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 285, 2 December 1941, Page 11

W.W.S.A.

OFFICIAL BODY

WOMEN'S WAR WORK

The W.W.S.A. as the official controlling body for women's war work was the subject of an address by Mrs. W. H. Cocker, chairman of the Auckland district committee and a member of the Dominion council, at the meeting of the women's organisation of the National party yesterday. Dr. Hilda Northcroft presided. Mrs. Cocker said that the War Cabinet had directed that all voluntary war work by women's organisations for Government departments, and for the army, navy and air force must in all cases, if on a Dominion basis, be arranged through the National Service Department for action by the auxiliary. Where the assistance required was of local significance application was to be made to the district committee of the W.W.S.A.

This did not mean, said the speaker, that such work would be actually undertaken by the W.W.S.A. Appropriate organisations would be contacted and given a fair and equitable share of the work. Mrs. Cocker said that insurance schemes gave the necessary safeguards of members for benefits, should injury be received in the course of work for the W.W.S.A. The statement of the Prime Minister at the recent Dominion conference that the Government was considering a definite expansion of the auxiliary's work was referred to by Mrs. Cocker.

Emphasising the national character of the auxiliary the speaker said there were 63 centres and 120 subcentres in the Dominion. It was not the policy of the auxiliary to militarise the girls more than necessary. Members were not allowed to wear military badges or have military titles, although a uniform had been issued and parades were held. This policy of not using military titles had been widely adopted in England. Mrs. Cocker concluded by speaking of the various ways in which the Government had made use of the auxiliary, notably by using it to recruit girls for the Women's Auxiliary Air Force and to select girls for overseas service.