WORK OF WOMEN IN WAR

Southland Times, Issue 25668, 10 May 1945, Page 4

WORK OF WOMEN IN WAR

EMERGENCY TASKS PERFORMED (P.A.) WELLINGTON, May 9. “There can seldom have been a day of greater universal rejoicing than this in the history of the civilized world,” said Lady Newall in a V Day message to the women of New Zealand. “Women in this Dominion and overseas fully share in the relief and happiness of this day of victory over all enemies in Europe when unconditional surrender has at last been accomplished. During the last five years many New Zealand women —a high proportion for such a small population —have seen their sons, husbands, fathers and brothers join the fighting services and the merchant navy and leave these shores for varying periods which, in some cases, exceeded four years. Each one of us is proud to know that by their valour New Zealand’s fair name stands higher than ever before. Men and women, both Pakeha and Maori, have been comrades in arms on every battle front and by their prowess at sea, on land and in the air have proved their loyalty to the Commonwealth and the Empire. You who have served here at home have done your various jobs well; you have packed Red Cross and St. John patriotic parcls, which saved the lives of many prisoners of war, and performed the manifold emergency tasks which were set you by the needs of war so that you can face with clear consciences those who return fiom battle. > “If there are any women or girls who did not do their' fair share, they can still prove their worth now in the coming months. For although we can rejoice today wholeheartedly with our sisters at home and overseas, nevertheless we realize that war tasks must still go on without respite until Japanese aggression is as thoroughly crushed as the aggression of the Germans. Let us do what will help most, and do it diligently with all our might and thus safeguard, insofar as in us lies, the future freedom and well-being of our homes and our children, to the banishment of false materialistic ways of life, and to the destruction of wickedness and vice for a better world of truth, order and godliness.”