WOMAN AND WAR WORK

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3135, 13 July 1917, Page 3

WOMAN AND WAR WORK

! TAKEN TO TASK. The necessity for women doing nioro work than at present in order to ieleaso men for active service was strongly jjrsed by Captain Walker, military representativo of the Defence Department, at Wednesday's sitting of tho JTitst. Wellington Military Service Boa!" in i\ew e ymouth. He cross-examined several of tho appellants as to the ability oi their female relatives to under tako various classes of farm work tho point he emphasised being that while women might not be able to do some kinds of work they might relieve men ineligible lor active service from other kinds of labour, so that they could tako up the duties of tho eligible men, tho latter thua becoming available for service.

•'The time lias come," said Captain Walker jn the course of a conversation with a "News" reporter, "when the women of New Zealand should realise that they must do more of tho work ordinarily done by men than they are doin» at present, or, as I said before the board, married men will have to ro leaving their wives and families behind. The board has often to deal with statements to the effect that there must be men on certain places, men to do heavy -work or other work unsuitable for women but surely it does not follow that these'nion must be of the class eligible for military service. In many, or perhaps in most cases, their places mijrht be taken by nwii eligible for se-.'-e but Quite cspablo of doing tho work, but at present employed in occupations such as milking, which can easily be done. As to what vome:i enn do just look at this book, entitled 'Women's AVnr Work/ and issued: by the British AVar Office. Here is a photograph of a pork butcher's shop, the business beinp; run by the wife i.nd tiro dung-liters who. vitli the help of two girl assistants, kill and dress between six and eisht piss per week. Hero are other pliotojrraphs showing women ensured in driving delivery vans, cleaning locomotives, stoking in a. factory, loading coal .111 trucks, plonjfhin?, harrowing, and so on, and I have one of a {?irl of 14 -who has already become quite competent in various classes of agricultural work. Per. linns, the following miotation from tin's volume will be of interest as nutting (he p.wt position from the British War Offic" noint of view:—

"'Women of Great Britain and employers of labour. remem"ber that (a) No man who is olifiblp for military «trvice should be retained in civil employment if his nlace can be tempo'-irily filled bv a woman or by a man who is infilio'ble for military service.'

"'(2) No man wlin is inefciblp for iiilifiirv- sorvico should Tio retained on vork ""liicli win ho - performed bv a v onaii (for the duration of Hie war) if the nan himself can lw uf'lised In relent ;>otlipr who is plieriWo for milifnrv ser■;ee nii'l who cannot l> e satisfactorily reilnfPfl by a woman.'"

"Yes." connluilocl rnijfiun Walker, "our women in New 7,°ihru] n»i=i <\o more tlinii tW n-o doing, or our married men must pro." . WOMEN JUSTICES OF THE PEACE „„ „ Adelaide, July 12. Ihe State Government has appointed fourteen women Justices of the Peace.— Press Assn.