SERVICE BY WOMEN

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 4555, 5 March 1942, Page 2

SERVICE BY WOMEN

MAY BE MADE COMPULSORY ‘ *Service in the Women’s War Service Auxiliary is not yet compulsory, but it may be before this struggle is through,” said the Minister of National Service, Mr K. Semple, addressing a parade of the auxiliary on Saturday. “Service in the E.P.S. was not compulsory until just before Christmas. Since then 100,000 have joined in two months, just doubling the strength, and it may be necessary to do the same with women’s organisations. There are a number of women,

young women too, who are not yet in the movement. If their services are found to be necessary there will be no hesitation in conscripting them.” Mr Semple said that 265 women were serving overseas under the W.W.S.A. and there were 14U0 on air stations. “We will soon be organising girls for the army and the navy, and at that point it may be necessary to use some sort of compulsion,” he added. Mr Semple’s attention was drawn to the refusal of some members of the W.W.S.A. to sign the recently-intro-duced declaration, and he said there should be on objection to signing is as it was only a declaration of loyalty to the country and an undertaking tp keep any secrets acquired in the course of service.