WOMEN IN WAR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24790, 15 December 1941, Page 4

WOMEN IN WAR

MANY USEFUL TASKS ORGANISING IN DOMINION An appeal to the women of New Zealand to offer their services to the country in various capacities was made by Mrs Janet Fraser, wife of the Prime Minister, Mr P. Fraser, a*d president of the Women’s War Service Auxiliary, in a broadcast address last night. Mrs Fraser said that, due to the extension of the war to the Pacific, the need for the services of everyone in the Dominion was more urgent than ever. She Urged women to register with the auxiliary. “ I know the women will answer the call,” said Mrs Fraser, “ and will make up their minds to work night and day. for victory.” She referred particularly to the Women’s Land Corps, now being formed, and said it was really an army and would be organised by the auxiliary. The minimum age was 18 years and the girls would wear the general uniform of the auxiliary. Wages had been fixed, and the employers on the farms would be subsidised. Those who undertook to join the corps would have the satisfaction of knowing they would be releasing fit men for service. In the event of women being injured while so employed they would be paid a pension equivalent, to that given to territorials. ■ The W.W.S.A., Mrs Fraser said, was doing its best to co-operate with the Government to place women in industrial service to release men. Women were serving in the Post and Telegraph Department as drivers and as mechanics in the telephone exchanges. This was only a very small beginning, and there was a large unexplored field for women desiring to work. Women who would like to take full-time employment in factories should register now. The auxiliary was also arranging to eet women into the fighting services. Not onlv were women serving in the armed forces in New Zealand already, but one unH was with) the N.ZE.F. overseas. Two hundred had been selected for a'hospital unit, and these recruits were fully representative of the womanhood of the country. “For those who remain at home, there are many tasks which can be done,” said Mrs Fraser. “As voluntary aids and in the E.P.S. they can give good service, and now the women’s organisations are being asked to assist in the work of making camouflage nets for the armv. Full instructions will be sent to the organisations immediately.” '