GREATER SCOPE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 113, 8 November 1941, Page 12

GREATER SCOPE

WOMEN'S SERVICE

CONFERENCE HELD

Increased responsibility and additional activities are to be undertaken by the Women's War Service Auxiliary, the formation of the Women's Land Corps being part of the programme that has been mapped out. The proposals for the establishment of this corps and other matters were discussed at a conference of the Dominion Council of the auxiliary held in Wellington this week, at which Mrs. P. Fraser. wife of the Prime Minister and the Dominion president of the Women's War Service Auxiliary, presided. The conference was addressed by the Prime Minister. Mr. Wilson, Associate Minister of National Service, was present. Mr. Fraser said that his experience of the part being played by women overseas had led him to the conclusion that there was also great scope in this country for women to render service. The Government had proposals under consideration which, when determined, would mark a definite expansion in the organisation of the Women's War Service Auxiliary. These would include a very essential function in respect of the survey of opportunities for full-time employment in the important branches of primary and secondary industries. The auxiliary would be asked to proceed immediately with the formation of a Women's Land Corps, the primary object of which was to recruit women, to take the place of some thousands of young men employed on farms who had been called up but whose military service had been postponed because of the difficulty in securing replacements. No better avenue for patriotic service could be found than in producing essential foodstuffs for the New Zealand soldiers, as well as for the people of Great Britain, and an earnest appeal would be launched in the near future when the Government would give full information as to the conditions attached to this new branch of .the W.W.S.A. SOLE CO-ORDINATING BODY. The proposed additions to the widespread activities already being carried out by the W.W.S.A. would necessitate strengthening of the organisation in some directions, and as a start the War Cabinet had recently approved measures designed to enable the auxiliary to become the sole co-ordinating body of all women's war work in the armed forces, and in every sphere of action coming under Government jurisdiction. Under this arrangement it would be the special function of the W.W.S.A. to ensure that all such work was allocated to the appropriate women's organisations and to prevent any unnecessary overlapping or duplication of effort. The proposals submitted for the formation of the Women's Land Corps were fully discussed, and were unanimously concurred in with the recommendation that steps be taken to inaugurate the corps without delay. Comprehensive rules laid down by the Minister of National Service dealing with uniforms, insignia, and ranking for the auxiliary were dealt with at some length. These rules had been formulated partly to give effect to certain provisions of the recently - passed uniform and badges regulations, but primarily to bring about complete uniformity in the formation of training units, ranking and insignia, associated with the units. The rules laid down place the W.W.S.A. on a proper footing, legalise their equipment, and at the same time give the necessary safeguard to the members for the benefits of perfsions for injury received in the course of service in the auxiliary. Full information on the various proposals was placed before the council by the Director of National Service, and it was decided to call a, further conference when the time arrived to implement some of the- major policy measures which ■ had been outlined to. the council by the Prime Minister.