WOMEN AND THE WAR

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIX, Issue XLIX, 13 January 1916, Page 6

WOMEN AND THE WAR

NELSON NATIONAL RESERVJ

ASSISTANCE FOB FRUfTGROWJ-li;>

Though the Women's National Reserve movement has not been prominently be fore tin- public during the past fewweeks, it must not. be concluded that it. has ceased its activities. liealiy. there has been a great deal doing—quietly. During the holidays members of the Reserve put in good work in orchards, and o-i ooxing" Day and New Year's Dav thev rendered fine service in an

emergency. On one of flnse days a Stoke orc'hardist had a great quantity of plums ready for picking, and circumstances arifciim which prevented him obtaining the help he was depending on, tin- women came to the rescue and picked 120 cases of fruit. enabling the orchardist to get his stuff away to market before it was over-ripe for shipping. The Ueserve. has also arranged for the despatch of a large number of pickers to the raspberry plantations, and could have found many more helpers had the u'rowers been able to make fairly comfortable ai for accommodation. This week a class of ladies is receiving in.-triirtioii in apple packing. The classes, whieh are limited to ten learners, are he'd daily at the Technical School, under Mr Hyde, Government Orchard Instructor, and will be continued through out next 'week. The class that has been receiving instruction this week has made fine y>rogress. A big supply of apples was purchased on whieh the "pupils" are practising. First the fruit is graded, a specimen, selected after passing through a gauge, serving as a tell-tale. After a while the eye quickly detects the difference between a 2|in and a 2§in apple. After the grading come the packing, the packers being instructed in wrapping and placing the fruit in dump cases. The ladies are displaying the greatest interest in their work, and with practice should become very expert. Mr Hyde is greatly pleased ■with the progress made, and remarked to-dav in respect of some of the fruit packing, that he would have little but praise for the manner in which it had been carried out.