POST WOMEN

Evening Star, Issue 24139, 9 March 1942, Page 2

POST WOMEN

TWO ENGAGED IN DUNEDiH WAR-TIME REPLACEMENTS This morning Dunodin’s first postwomen began their “ daily round.” In northern cities the postwomau in her trim steel-grey uniform, with peaked cap, has been a familiar sight for some time, but the Chief Post Office in this city has been reluctant to employ women before it was absolutely necessary. The two new employees were recruited from the W.W.S.A., and in the meantime will wear the khaki uniform of that organisation.

Inquiries at the Chief Post Office show that 54 women arc doing war time jobs with the department. Many of these are wives of men serving overseas with the New Zealand forces. Nineteen are employed in the postal branch on the stamp counter, in the mail sorting room, and in the parcels branch. In the telegraph office instrument room women have penetrated as machine printing typists. The lack of suitable lads as junior assistants, better known as messengers, has led the department to begin recruiting women for this work, too. In the country offices of the Dunedin district 70 girls are at present employed as war-time replacements. As more men are called up for home defence or service overseas it will be necessary to recruit greater numbers of women for all branches of service. Many have already volunteered and are only waiting for an opportunity to do their bit in the country’s war effort.