WOMEN'S AUXILIARY FORCE

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22921, 18 January 1940, Page 4

WOMEN'S AUXILIARY FORCE

TO THE EDITOB 01 THE PEESS. Sir—A correspondent, "One of the Girls!" states that she desires other work than knitting socks. Perhaps she and other energetic young women would like to help for an hour or two daily with the books that are being

prepared for the soldiers? If so, 1 shall be glad to give them work in this direction. Thousands of books have come in, and every suitable volume has to be stamped, labellect, and catalogued before being sent to the camp libraries. Thousands of other volumes and magazines need stamping, mending, and sorting for troopships, military outposts, and naval units A few volunteers have rendered yeoman service, but more are urgently needed.—Yours, etc. * ERNEST J. BELL, , Librarian, Canterbury Public Library. January 17, 1940.

TO THE* EDITOB 0» TBI PRESS. S i r _lt would certainly be worth. while to establish a Women's Auxiliary Force in New Zealand, and now is the time to begin to train the young women, so that they may be ready when needed. None of us knows how long this dreadful war will last, nor do we know just when conscription will be brought in. If the war were to last 10 years, most of our men would be away, and I think it is up to us girls to take the place of our men and work for our own country.

Nursing is a good way to help, but there is not the same need for nurses in New Zealand, and very few from New Zealand have the opportunity to go overseas. If we girls could get together and keep the farms, etc., going for our men while they are away, we could perhaps avoid another slump such as was experienced after the last war. We girls like to brag that "woman is the equal of man.' Well, let's prove it and show , what the modern girl can do.—Yoursi, etc A MODERN GIRL. January 17, 1940.

TO THE EDITOB OS TSTB PBESS.

Sir—Being a mere man, I may be taken, severely to task for presuming to enter a discussion of this nature, but I am prepared to take that risk. The first thing which occurs to_ me is that no constructive proposals have appeared in any of the letters; and until those interested give some indication of what they are actually prepared to do, no real progress is likely to be made. , . . Both knitting and nursing seem to be singularly lacking in appeal to your correspondents; and it would be interesting to learn in wha* direction they consider their abilities can best be directed. ~ - „ n ~* Here is an opportunity ior One ol the Girls" to display a little of that initiative to which she so proudly refers._ Yours, Qp BQys Sumner. January 16, 1940.