Women’s War Service League Lending a Hand

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 3, 4 January 1941, Page 2

Women’s War Service League Lending a Hand

PRACTICAL HELP TOR PARTNERS Attention lias been given the land as a possible source of income to be used for patriotic purposes by tho League at Palmerston North, and the result of the efforts to date lias been gratifying to all concerned. Earlier this season the league was offered the use of a vacant section iu the city for the growing of vegetables, anc the members of the land unit enthusiastically set about the project. Tho employment of a rotary hoe solved the problem of digging the area, the seed donated, and recently the harvesting of various kinds of vegetable crops was commenced. A full range lias been grown and as these beeomo available they are sold through the Patriotic shop. The money received goes into tho league fund and, after meet ing certain expenses, which have been kept as low as possible, the canteen branch has been allocated amounts for the making up of parcels to go to the troops overseas. Another activity undertaken has been in the direction of assisting the farming community, and where requests for labour have been placed before the Department of Agriculture, the possibility of the land unit of the league doing the job has been examined. Two mangei crops have been weeded to date by teams of about ten members of the league, and so well was the work done that the farmers want the young women to return for. liay-making and grassseed harvesting later in the summer. The teams were paid on the basis of wliat the job was worth, a member of the Department of Agriculture acting as liaison officer between the league and the farmers, and the money has gone into the league funds to be used towards patriotic purposes. At the present time there are three jobs ahead of the laud unit «f the league, two of hoeing mangels and one of sewing sacks.

Taking their lunch with thorn, the young women making up the land unit teams have spent enjoyable hours in the open, even though they worked hard, and they have had the satisfaction of knowing that they are not only helping their organisation but also the farming industry.