WOMEN AND WAR WORK

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24345, 9 July 1940, Page 5

WOMEN AND WAR WORK

TO THE EDITOR &r,—All loyal New Zealanders will heartily applaud the action of the Prime Minister in so promptly repudiating Dr McMillan’s criticism of the efforts our New Zealand women are making so successfully to help the Red Cross with both goods and money. Anyone who has a knowledge of ihe hours of work our women (in only one instance) put into collecting, mending, and packing clothes for refugees can realise what a gigantic job they did willingly and ungrudgingly. Hundreds of these good women had their homes and children to look after, which is a job in itself these days where domestic help is almost unprocurable for the average small householder, but that did not deter them from seeing the job through cheerfully during the hours daily they could spare from their work. The splendid result of their efforts, and those of thousands of working men and women as well, to raise funds is shown by the enormous sum that has been handed to the Red Cross, and is a complete reply to anyone who tries to belittle their efforts. I am pleased to say that fact has been very graciously acknowledged by the Prime Minister and other Government and Red Cross officials. Dr McMillan’s retreat when he saw the Prime Minister would not countenance any reflection on the work of these people was a very feeble explanation, which was onty to be expected. His suggestion that married women should go into the factories is a remarkable one for a politician to make. Most people realise that, in New Zealand especfelly. the essential need of the country is the welfare of our children, and every encouragement is given to increase the birth rate, not to send our married women into factories. I am afraid Dr McMillan deserved the rebuff he received from the Prime Minister, as would anyone else who attempted to belittle the work of the women of New Zealand fbr our Red Cross.—l am, etc.. Reel Cross. Oamaru. July 6.