DOMESTIC HELP

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25561, 14 June 1944, Page 4

DOMESTIC HELP

PLAN TO MEET EMERGENCIES FORMATION OF RESERVE POOL (PA.) WELLINGTON, June 13. The Controller of Man-power, Mr H. L. Bockett, to-day issued a statement on his department’s policy regarding the previously-announced scheme for providing domestic help to meet emergencies, both in homes where the housewife becomes incapacitated by illness and on farms. “ The scheme,” he said, “ is designed to provide a reserve pool of wcraen in every district who will be available to help in homes where emergencies arise. There are a number of women in the registered classes who are not available for full-time work, but who would be available for short full-time or parttime periods. There are also a number of women in these classes who are not .at present in essential employment and could, perhaps, be spared from their present employment for possibly up to a month each year. In addition, there must be a number of women outside the registered classes who would willingly assist for short periods in meeting emergencies. Any women prepared to give a little of their time to this important work are asked to advise the man-power officers in their district.

“ It is intended to use the .services of all women’s organisations in developing this scheme, and the man-po\yer officers have been instructed to work in close co-operation with such organisations. As far as possible we wish to avoid recourse to compulsory direction, and it is proposed that after obtaining the names of registered women from the man-power office the various organisations, in co-operation with each other, should personally interview all wemen likely to be available and ascertain from them their willingness to be called on, the amount of time they are prepared to give in each year, their preferences in the matter of times of availability, and such other particulars as may help the smooth running of the scheme and the avoidance of inconveniences, They will pass this information on to the man-power officer, who will maintain a special record of ,the emergency helpers available. The man-power officer will include in this record all women who have not volunteered, but who nevertheless are regarded as reasonably available for direction as the occasion warrants.

“These women’s organisations,” Mr Bockett concluded, “ will also be asked to assist by advising the man-power officer of farms or other homes where emergency help is urgently necessary and to give him generally whatever assistance may be desirable in carrying out the scheme effectively.”