NOTES AND COMMENTS

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 249, 18 July 1942, Page 6

NOTES AND COMMENTS

There will be wide appreciation of the graceful tribute paid to the women of New Zealand by the United States Minister (General Hurley) during his speech at the opening- of. Wellington's new club for Service personnel. Women play in war the most difficult of roles. The courage demanded of them is the rare courage of ♦patience, faith and passive sacrifice. In addition they are relied upon to perform—nearly always without material reward and often with scant public praise—so many of the small and menial, yet essential, tasks of the war effort. Those tens of thousands of women in this and all other democratic countries who have entered the uniformed Services have earned universal admiration. Their enthusiasm, capacity and bravery form one of the shining lights in a dark world era. Yet even more vital to our cause and national well-being is the steadfast faith and courage of the mother, the home-keeper and the neighbourly helper. These wore the qualities, and the women, to whom General Hurley directed his tribute —one which was particularly timely in view of the invaluable aid given by women volunteers, at considerable personal sacrifice, in staffing and maintaining centres of hospitality for Service folk.

One of tlie reasons given by the Prime Minister for the poor response to appeals for labour to repair earthquake damage in Wellington was that some of the men outside “wanted to be guaranteed more than 48 hours’ work a week” before they would agree to come to tho city. The matter, added Mr. Fraser, had since been adjusted and there was now no limit, on the hours that could be worked. The deliberate holding-up of urgent work in tlie way here indicated showed very poor public spirit on the part of the individuals, or group, concerned. They must have been well aware that many city householders—a large proportion of whom were fellow-workers—were (and still are) in dire need of assistance. It is quite proper that artificial limitations on hours of work should be removed in times of emergency such as we are passing through. There are few enough available man-hours for the emergency task without restricting them to the normal working week. But this does not excuse the action of the men, who very obviously considered the position in terms of profit rather than service. It would be a poor look-out for this country in any future emergency if all sections of Hie community took the same view; but fortunately the

majority do not. The inculcation of the service spirit—the sense of neigh-.-..hourlyresponsibility—is one ot the great needs of today’s national leadership.