Girls Off To Outback

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31316, 11 March 1967, Page 2

Girls Off To Outback

fSpecial Crspdt. N.Z.PA.) , SYDNEY, Mar. 10. Two young women from New Zealand yesterday set out to invade the rough and tough country towns in the Australian outback.

Wearing mini-skirts and high heels, they left Sydney for Orange, Cootamundra, Wagga Wagga and Warrnambool, on the first stage of a long tour. In their luggage were sets

of overalls, bags of tractor tools and an open order book. Miss Claudine Simpson, aged 23, and Miss Pamela Miller, aged 26, of Masterton, aim to sell a unique New Zea-land-made tractor braking device to Australian farmers and agricultural machinery dealers all over the country.

Australians are likely to rub their eyes when Miss Miller (36-2636) and Miss Simpson (36-22-35) hit town, but will soon learn they mean business.

“People are inclined to think this is a gimmick,” Miss Simpson said. “But we both have good mechanical know-

ledge. We fit the devices, demonstrate them and drive the tractors.

“Some smart-alecks have already tried to put us through the third degree with trick mechanical questions, and they are very surprised when they realise we know what we are talking about” The device, designed about six years ago by a Wairarapa farmer, Mr D. Torrance, was tested for three years at Lincoln College before being put on the New Zealand market. Miss Simpson said about 4000 were now in use in New Zealand. It had been approved by the Department of Agriculture and the National Safety Association. The girls hope to take orders for “thousands” of the devices during their tour, which will take them through New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia. Miss Simpson—“l was always interested in cars and worked in a garage when I left school”—began demonstrating the devices at a Young Farmers’ Club field day at Tutira, Hastings, two years ago.

She took over when one of the company’s engineers became ill and has been demonstrating the devices since. Miss Miller, a former New Zealand indoor basketball representative, is originally from Christchurch.