GIRLS IN INDUSTRY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23863, 14 January 1941, Page 84

GIRLS IN INDUSTRY

NEED IN THE DOMINION HUNDREDS OF VACANCIES APPEAL FROM WELLINGTON An appeal to girls of New Zealand to make their contribution to the war effort by entering industry and thus put into use machines in vital industries which were idle for lack of workers, was made in a broadcast address yesterday morning by Mrs. K. C. Cresswell, Girls' Employment- Ollicer at the Government Youth Centre, Wellington. "What- we have to realise to-day is that there are more avenues of work for girls of the better type, and the old idea that factories are not the places for the better type of girls must be banished if we are to progress," said Mrs. Cresswell. "If the word factory sounds unpleasant to the ear, why not substitute for it industrial work and call them workrooms," she continued. "in the times in which we are now living we should not pay too much attention to names, but since the word factory in the past was often associated with working conditions not of the best, we could give a change of name some consideration now."

No Stigma In Factory Work "Those people who have travelled since the last war know what marvellous progress Kuropenn countries have made in their industrial conditions," Mrs. Cresswell added. "There is no stigma attached to the workers who back up their country's effort in production. We often hear remarks about war on the homo front. There is plenty of work for those at home and one of the ways is to take a hand in the work that is waiting. True, there is no fanfare of trumpets or uniforms or public acclamation, but these are only transitory, and the real work is in maintaining the services which will ju.stily the greater sacrifice others are making on our behalf.'' All those who answered the call to enter industry should enrol at the Wellington Government Youth Centre, on the second floor of Civic Chambers in Lower Cuba Street, said Mrs. Cresswell. Officers there would interview all applicants or parents of applicants. Oare lor Future There was a list of vacancies running into hundreds and experienced officers would give all the advige and hplp in their power and answer nil questions concerning the various openings. Most of these industries had been visited by officers of the centre, and the conditions of work were known to them After a girl had been placed, her future was well cared for by the officers of the centre in their follow-up work. Mrs. Cresswell appealed particularly to girls in Wellington and elsewhere

who were not forced to work for their living to give up their spare time in this way to help their country's need. She stressed the fact that award wages had to l)e paid in fairness to those girls who were working for their living, so that the only voluntary effort would be the sacrifice of leisure. .If the girls in England could carry on with their work amid incessant bombing, surely girl? in the peaceful surroundings in the Dominion conld do the same.