WOMEN IN FORCES

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 40, 17 February 1944, Page 6

WOMEN IN FORCES

SURVEY BEING MADE (£.A.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. Action is now being taken to review the allocations of women to the services. From the nature of inquiries being made it appears that a thorough overhaul of the position, which has long been regarded with dissatisfaction by manufacturers and industrialists, will be made and this in itself may be an integral part of the pending reorganisation of the whole situation in relation to the utilisation in New Zealand of female labour. There are, it is understood, ovre 8000 women personnel at present in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force and the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps in the Dominion. Insistent demands have been made for a review of the situation in the light of the duties these women have been performing. Releases of personnel from these groups, from time to time, have been made, it is reported, but a week ago a survey was instituted by the National Service Department through the military and air force authorities. Special forms have been issued to women personnel, who are required to reply to numbers of questions. These include the nature of their former employment and whether they are willing to be released from the forces. The categories of employment which they would be prepared to accept are listed and they are asked to indicate preference for mental hospital work, hospital work, land service, laundry work, general factory and other work.