WOMEN'S WAR EFFORT

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 136, 5 March 1941, Page 4

WOMEN'S WAR EFFORT

Organization Of District ■ Centres Of Auxiliary MUCH ENTHUSIASM SHOWN The work of organizing new district centres of the Women’s War Service Auxiliary in various parts of the North and South Islands is progressing favourably, and reports to hand state that without exception the women of New Zealand are enthusiastic in their desire to participate in an organized war effort. There are at present 34 cen.tres. Miss Amy Kane, a member of the Dominion Council and Central Executive of the auxiliary, has just returned from a tour of the North Island. She addressed public meetings and meetings of delegates in Whakataue, Opotiki, Rotorua, Taumarunui, Te Kuiti, and Putaruru. In these towns committees have been set up and great enthusiasm was expressed regarding women’s share in a co-ordinated war effort.

Another member of the Dominion executive, Mrs. Knox Gilmer, has completed a tour in the South Island, having helped to establish district centres in Invercargill, Gore, Oamaru, and Timaru. Assisted by Mrs. M. J. Bentley, she also recently formed centres in New Plymouth and Stratford. The Women’s War Service Auxiliary, being a constituent part of the Emergency Reserve Corps, works alongside the Home Guard and E.P.S. organizations and is throwing the full weight of the womanpower of the Dominion into the work of these organizations. It is expected that in the very , near future the whole of New Zealand will have been covered by representatives of the auxiliary, with the idea of forming district centres. In the meantime, those centres which have been established are fully active in discharging the functions of the auxiliary, which are to provide a national organization of women and girls, to co-ordinate all. women’s and girls’ war effort, to compile a register of womanpower of the Dominion and to promote activities and provide training facilities for women and girls which will enable the war effort to reach its maximum effectiveness. The compilation of the register is a very important function of the auxiliary, as It is essential for the Govern meut to have the fullest possible knowledge of the women-power that will be available for war purposes. The register is, of course, founded on the voluntary effort of the women and girls of the Dominion, who are being strongly urged to register with the auxiliary.

In establishing district centres, a committee is elected to control the affairs of each centre ,and these committees are now undertaking the formation of sub-centres within their districts.