WAR EFFORT BY WOMEN

Southland Times, Issue 23954, 21 October 1939, Page 4

WAR EFFORT BY WOMEN

Conference Called By Minister WORK IN PRODUCTION OF FOODSTUFFS OFFERS OF ASSISTANCE RECEIVED (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, October 20. The war effort of the women of New Zealand will be discussed at a conference in Wellington called by the Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. W. Lee Martin) for Tuesday, November 7. It is expected that the assistance of women will be required 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 organizations 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 today. t Representatives of the Womens 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. He would meet the delegates and discuss proposals with them. Mr Martin emphasized the need for finding out precisely what duties women volunteers were willing to undertake and what they were capable of doing before embarking upon any scheme.

He said 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 could be accepted.