WORK FOR WOMEN.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 98, 25 March 1941, Page 6

WORK FOR WOMEN.

PRECAUTIONS SCHEME. Information concerning the part to be played by women’s organisations in the Emergency Precautions Scheme was given at a meeting in the Opera House, last evening, Miss C. Warburton, chairman ot the district committee of the Women’s War Service Auxiliary, presiding over a large and representative attendance. Mr W. B. Tennent, chairman of the Emergency Precautions Scheme Committee, outlined the scheme now being planned for use in au emergency, not necessarily as a war precaution, but in the case of an epidemic or an earthquake. There were 47 women’s organisations in Palmerston North and work for all of them to do, Mr Tennent said. The 'Government had set up the Women’s War Service Auxiliary as the official body to co-ordinate the work of the women in any war effort. He had felt it the proper thing to ask the official body to undertake his responsibility for the Emergency Precautions Scheme. If there were other committees working on these lines he hoped they would get behind the auxiliary and help to advance the scheme. Women’s work fell under three headings, namely : Clerical, in which stenographers, typists and clerks would be required; public health; and general services. Under public health women would he required to visit homos and care for the aged; render first aid, home nursing and ambulance service; provide medical supplies and dressings, nursing and hospital aids, care of children, clothing (sewing and laundry) and food preparation, etc. Under general services came street wardens, fire drill, transport, and messengers. There would he between 300 and 400 messengers required in Palmerston North_ in an emergency. The transport organisation was complete,' and this would require about 200 motor-cars. Mr Tennent explained that the women wardens would be required to know the people in. the areas allotted to them so that when the occasion arose, they would be able to help them, if injured, and keep them calm and thus .avoid anything' in the nature of a panic. More than half of the people to be engaged in the whole scheme would be women. There would be plenty for them to do in assisting ambulance drivers and trained members of the Red Cross and St. John Ambulance organisations. A knowledge of first aid would be of great assistance, but it was not necessary as it was hoped to have a representative, of the St. John Ambulance present with each member of the service. The greatest enemy to the scheme was the apathy of the general public. He stressed the necessity of immediate registration in order that he might know where the woman-power was available and how it could best be utilised. Miss Warburton thanked Mr Tennent for his explanation and lie answered several questions relating to the scheme.