WOMEN AND WAR WORK

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23945, 21 October 1939, Page 12

WOMEN AND WAR WORK

OFFERS OF ASSISTANCE PROPOSALS TO BE DISCUSSED (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON, Oct. 20. The war effort of the women of New Zealand will be discussed at a conference in Wellington called by the Minister of Agriculture (Mr Lee Martin) for Tuesday, November 7. It is expected that the assistance of women will be reouired mostly in the production of foodstuffs and this aspect will be examined in detail as it involves both assistance on farms and in the home. “We have received very many offers of assistance from women’s organisations anxious to help to overcome any shortage of man power and to do their share in meeting the situation caused by the war.” said the Minister in an interview to-day Representatives of the Women's Institute, the Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union, the Young Women’s Christian Association and the National Council of Women in New Zealand had been invited to attend the conference, the Minister continued He would meet the delegates and discuss proposals with them. Mr Lee Martin emphasised the need for finding out precisely what duties the women volunteers were willing to undertake and what they were capable of doing before ernbarking upon any scheme He said that offers had been received from many women willing to do farm work Others had volunteered for domestic work, but obviously it was essential to formulate a detailed scheme to meet requirements before any offers coma be accepted.