LAND GIRL SCHEME

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 290, 8 December 1939, Page 10

LAND GIRL SCHEME

NOT NEEDED [ While appreciating the patriotic [motive which is actuating the Auckland branch of the National Council lof Women to seek information with | regard to any plans for training women for work on the land, the secretary of the Auckland Farmers' Union, Mr, A. E. Robinson, docs not [see the necessity for the formation of ia women’s land army in the Dominion, [states the Star. i “It is a nice idea from the point of I view of people who are not informed jas to the real position of the fainung [industry,” commented Mr. Robinson. '"The industry, however, could get ail [the agricultural labour it neeued if it could pay loi it. The position is [different in England. At one Lime in [England the factories were fed with [labour from the land—and they still ■ are to some extent -and the majority o£ men in the factories had agricultural experience. The same, however, could not be said of to-day lor a new ’generation of factory hands, born in [the cities, has arisen, and there is a > need to transfer people from the i factories to the land in time oi ' emergency.” [ Mr. Robinson added that the land ; army scheme had come forward be- ; cause people had become Hag-minded I They knew that there was such an ! army in Great Britain, and thought 'that there should be one established nere also. In New Zealand the work [which women could, perform on the ’land, unless they were trained on the land, would be very limited, and to avoid complications after the war it .would bo necessary to pay them the [equivalent of what men received. It. Avas not generally realised, what was [more, that the Farmers’ Union did not • encourage what some individual farm- | ers would like —cheap labour. I If there existed a need lor a land 'army in New Zealand, said Mr. Rob--1 inson, he would favour its cstablish[ment. However, there was no short- : age of agricultural labour in New .Zealand, for there were men in all I walks of life in the towns and cities [with farming experience, 'rhe most [suitable people to put on the land were l such men as these, and if the Government wanted to increase production it would have to tackle the matter in an economic way that, would enable the farmer to meet all costs. Commonsense had to be allowed to prevail. The economic factor was too vastly important to be ignored, and I they must not lay the needs for a lot |of suffering after the war. | ja little. Add a pinch of salt to the egg-whites and whisk to a very stiff froth then fold the castor sugar lightly into them. Cover the top of the pudding with this, and put. into a cool oven for about twenty minutes to set the meringue. Decorate the [centre with a few leaves of angelica. Serve cold.