INTERVIEWING OF WOMEN

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 October 1942, Page 7

INTERVIEWING OF WOMEN

[TO THE EDITOR.] Sir,—ln common with other women affected by the recent call for registration in the 24-30 group for industrial purposes, my wife has received a notice to attend for interview. This is not signed by the Manpower Officer, but by Mrs. McGlashan, who endorses tbe card “Hon. Secretary, W.W.S.A.” May I respectfully inquire through your columns, on behalf ,of my wife and others similarly registered, under whose authority the secretary of a war organisation is entitled to interview women registered not for war (defence) purposes, but for the purposes of industry. If the call-up was for purely defence reasons one could understand the procedure but, without in any way personally reflecting upon the qualities of Mrs. McGlashan, may. I inquire why in the present circumstances the Secretary of the W.W.S.A. which has been declared an integral part of the Forces, should be given such a task? Could the general public be enlightened as to the procedure adopted, for information can but serve to dispel doubts and possible misconceptions. Yours etc., “MERE HUSBAND.” When the foregoing letter was referred to the District Manpower Officer (Mr. G. G. M. Mitchell) today, he stated that Mrs. McGlashan was authorised by the Central Executive of the W.W.S.A., in Wellington, to arrange for the posting of notices to women who registered, and that he had been advised to that effect by the Director of National Service. The Department’s view was that it would be desirable to have the interviewing carried out by women with a knowledge of the administrative side of the W.W.S.A., and there might also be cases where women registrants would make a fuller disclosure of their circumstances to women interviewers. He emphasised that the interviewers were not authorised to direct women into the Armed Forces or into essential industries. In any case the W.W.S.A., was not an integral part of the Armed Forces, but an ancillary of the Emergency Reserve Corps. Mrs. J. O’Brien had been appointed by the W.W.S.A., to do the interviewing, but owing to the large number registered, and the desirability of avoiding unnecessary delay, he had approached Mrs. McGlashan who had volunteered to assist Mrs. O’Brien. — Ed. “Star.”