REGISTERED WOMEN

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21227, 16 October 1943, Page 2

REGISTERED WOMEN

8000 IN ARMED FORCES Consideration was being given to raising the age for compulsory registration by women for national service above the present limit of 30, said the Director of Man-power, Mr. H. L. Bockett, when addressing the annual conference of the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Federation in Napier. He added that the minimum age of 10 would not be reduced as this would interfere with the careers ol' girls leaving schools. There were about 8000 girls in the three armed forces in New Zealand, added Mr. Bockett. The War Cabinet was at present carrying out a complete investigation of the need for the retention of these girls and it was hoped that some relief would be afforded to industry by the release of some of them. No girl could now enter the armed forces until she obtained a clearance from the local Man-power officer and unless it was clearly proved that she was not required in essential industry. In Auckland and Wellington .particularly, very few girls were now joining the services.

There were hundreds of vacancies ir. the land army. Although there was power to compulsorily direct women into the land army it was not being exercised and volunteers had to be relied upon.