WOMEN AND WAR-WORK

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2527, 30 July 1915, Page 3

WOMEN AND WAR-WORK

'A LETTER FROM LONDON. In- the course of an interesting loiter received by a Wellington lady from her sister in -London, who has two sons at the war, one of wlioin was mentioned as being wounded lately, tho writer says:— "Wo have just joined an institution that is most interesting, the War Hospital Supply Depot. It is two houses lent by tho London University containing 14 or 15 rooms, each of which is devoted to a particular work —bandages, splints, sterilising, making . shirts, bed-jackets. etc v shoes, mending eld linen, and various other things, all for tho hospitals at the front. . The War Office sends orders and they fulfil them. Four ladies started it, aud they have now 400 others helping. _ Each room has a head, and no work is passed unless it is absolutely right, so everyone lias to give of her _best. Each lady gives Is. a week, which pays for the gas, etc., and what is over l's used for materials. Everything is voluntary, and no one is bound to any special time, but can go whenever possible. I find housekeeping pretty much the same as ,- n Now Zealand, except meat, which is perfectly awful:' fancy paying 2s. 3d. for six chops! I work hard at the machine, and one day for three hours I did nothing but pyjama legs I" In another part of _ her letter she speaks of- tile strain it is for tho women in their homes : "Every Ting or knock that comes wo hold our breath till we know what it is, and every tirno I come in I look at,the hall table to' see if there is a- telegram. Still I try to keep all possibilities out of my head as much as possible—it is the only way. "A girl friend told me the other day of 6ome work she is doing for tho Government. It -is in a. factory for medicating respirators and packing them for the front._ Ordinary factory girls work in two shifts from G a.m. to 2 p.m. and 2 p.m. till 10 p.m., and from then work goes on till 6 a.m. Voluntary workers go, so that the work never ceases day and night. Everything is kept secret, and only the workers know what it is, and what is done. They are making 17 millions for the, Allies as well as our own, and as this girl friend left at six in the 'morning carts were there with packages of respirators, all guarded by detectives and policemen/ A woek or two ago some parcels of thousands of respirators were sent to the War Office. Something, I don't know what, made them suspicious, and they tested them, with the result that they found every one was poisoned! So that is tho reason for all the 6ccreey. No one is allowed to help with any trace of anything German in the name, and each one has to have a card signed each time she goes, J wrote last week saying that the respirators that , had been sent out before' were not much use, and he asked me to send one with coverings for tho eyes. ■ These new,ones are like helmets and go over the whole head. Isn't it awful to think that sucli things are needed? The girls are thinking of going into the country in August and September, and dping harvesting and work on a farm. Numbers of girls and school teachers are offering for this. They ought, to do tho same in New Zealandi if labour is scarce.

'■ 'We don't think much of the Zeppelins,' though one feels thankful each, morning to find onself safe, as so far they have visited the Jiast —don't seem to have time to come to the West. However, one never knows."