Women to go to sea in Navy trial
PA Wellington Women will be among the crew of the Royal New Zealand Navy survey ship Monowai for a sixmonth trial period when she goes to sea again in December.
The navy public relations officer, Lieutenant Laurence Tye, said 68 naval servicewomen applied for the sea-going post after the Navy called for volunteers for the pilot programme. There are 276 women in total in the Service.
Only about 16 will be chosen to join the Monowai, which has a crew of 11 officers and 115 ratings: Lieutenant Tye said the 68 applicants had already been whittled down, several failing the medical requirements, but he did not know how many were still in the running.
The move is in line with the Government’s policy of expanding opportunities for women in the services.
If this trial was successful it would become a regular post open to women, Lieutenant Tye said.
It may lead to a change in the conditions of service signed by new female recruits to the Navy. Women now sign on with the understanding that they will not be required, or allowed, to go to sea. .: j...-<. .>:■ It was for that reason the Navy called for volunteers for the trial rather than assigning women. Women who took part in the trial would be from a variety of ranks and trades, Lieutenant Tye said.
The Monowai is a hydrographic survey vessel which produces charts of New Zealand
waters. She also has an annual i deployment in the South Pacific and . has made voyages to Australia.
The Navy did not yet see it was viable to send women to sea aboard frigates, Lieutenant Tye said.
The Monowai had small separate cabins and toilet facilities while frigates had only large messdecks and bunkrooms.
“They would have to buy us some new frigates,” he said. If Government policy insisted the Navy allow women in frigates the Navy would have to do as it was told, “but we would have to point out the arguments. It is. not feasible at the moment.” The Monowai was due to undergo a refit at Lyttelton later this month and would be ready to go to sea with her new crew in December, he said.
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Press, 20 October 1986, Page 10
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374Women to go to sea in Navy trial Press, 20 October 1986, Page 10
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