WOMEN'S WAR JOB WOMAN'S OFFENCES

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24868, 14 April 1944, Page 4

WOMEN'S WAR JOB

WOMAN'S OFFENCES

LONG HOURS AT TRADE SHIPBUILDING YARD WORK Working long hours, two young women, Mrs. Nancy Rothwell and Miss Mary Edwards, are making a fine war effort and each is doing a job in a machine shop at the yards of Steel Ships, Limited, in Auckland. They are operating small steel lathes, drilling and cutting machines alongside men. The work has always previously been done by boys and men and the women are paid almost the same wages as the men. For four days a week they work 10£ hours, and two more days at eight hours make up a full working week of six days, or 58 hours. "Anything from a iin. bolt to a small shaft," was the answer given yesterday when it was asked what Miss Edwards made. Clad in a green overall dress she kept busily at her machine while she explained her duties. She was turning out engine bolts, pipe connections, flanges and many other types of equipment for steel tugs being produced for the armed services. Asked how she kept her hands clean Miss Edward replied: "I just don't." Mrs. Rothwell, who is the widow of Flight-Sergeant J. Rothwell, who was killed on active service in England last year, was engaged on a drilling machino yesterday morning. She also operates a machine hacksaw. She wore slacks, blouse and pullover. "I love my job," she said, without looking up from the drilling machine. Miss Edwards gave the same answer. It was explained that although it was not quite precision work, the women's duties were often of a heavy nature. They worked just as hard and as well as the men. In paying a tribute to the women the manager of the company said it was a real war effort. They have been working there for some months.

SHOPLIFTING CHARGES PROBATION AND FINES Five charges the theft from city stores of a variety of goods including books, magazines, leather wallets, underclothing, a pipe, playing cards and ointment, of a total value of £l2 4s 7d, were faced by Nellie Josephine Magill, married, aged 39 (Mr. Noble), who appeared before Mr. F. H. Levien, S.M., yesterday. Accused pleaded guilty to all charges. The theft of articles from a large city bookshop was alleged to have taken place between January 1 and March 31, while the other four offences were stated to have been committed on March 31. Accused, who owned a bookshop in Dominion itoad, was seen taking books from the counter of a department store in the city at the beginning of this week, said Detective-Sergeant Kearney, it was discovered that she was in the habit of going to a bookshop every Friday morning and removing some articles. These she offered for sale in her own store. There were ten previous convictions against accused for similar offences, the last occasion being in 1939, when she was sentenced to 14 days' imprisonment on each of three charges. All the goods involved in the present charges had been recovered. Mr. Xoble said it was obvious from accused's record that she was affected with kleptomania. She was a good wife and mother, talented and well educated. Her husband had just returned from service with the Army in the Pacific. Counsel made a strong plea for mercy so that accused might be given a chance to make a fresh start in life. Her husband had accepted a position as manager of a 1000-acre farm and counsel thought that if accused were taken to the country, where she would be away from temptation, there would be no more trouble. On the first charge, the theft of books and wallets over a period of three months, accused was admitted to probation for two years. She was fined £5 on each of two others and discharged on the remaining two charges. KINGSEAT NURSES

MENTAL BREAKDOWN DENIED (0.C.) WELLINGTON, Thursday A denial that any nurse employed at the Kingseat Mental Hospital had ever broken down mentally or become insane was made by the Minister in charge of Mental Hospitals, the Hon. A. 11. Nordmeyer, to-night, when referring to a statement reported to have been made at proceedings before the Manpower (Industrial) Committee at Whangarei during an appeal by a mental hospital nurse for her release from duty at Kingseat. The Minister stated that an allegation was reported that since January two nurses iiad broken down and one had become insane. He said this statement was quite untrue, as at no time had any nurse employed at Kingseat broken down mentally or become insane. The Minister said he deplored the publication of such incorrect statements, which tended to have a bad effect, on the recruitment of mental hospital staffs. SCHOOL BOOK SHORTAGE PUBLISHERS' DIFFICULTIES The anxiety of parents who cannot secure school books for their young children is expressed in a letter from a Huntly mother, who says that her grievance will find an echo in the heart of every mother with school children. Since before the start of the new school year she has been trying without success to procure a phonic book. Now she is searching for a progressive book for her young daughter, and this has proved equally elusive. The shortage of school books has been very general for some time, and is attributed almost wholly to war conditions. The publishing firm concerned points out that its industry is not classified as an essential one, and, in its efforts to meet the demand for school books, it has been severely handicapped both by lack of material and lack of manpower. When stocks of books have been used, as is frequently the case now. it becomes very difficult to build them up again. The printing of such books as those mentioned is constantly going on, and small supplies become available from time io time to bo rationed in, different centres.