HOME AID SERVICE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 89, Issue 272, 17 November 1945, Page 5

HOME AID SERVICE

AIDS ALMOST READY AUCKLAND AND WELLINGTON (P.A.) Wellington, Nov. 16. Dressed in trim, workmanlike uniforms, the first group oi domestic aids will line up in Wellington within a lew weeks to set New Zealand’s latest social service under way. They will be available early in December for engagement in homes where help is urgently needed. Later, when their ranks are swelled and the training scheme is operating, the National Seivice Department hopes to be able to answer calls from all sections of the community. The original plan was to start the service before Christmas. This, it is expected, will be achieved in Wellington and Auckland but in lhe South Island applications from girls and women have not been so numerous, and unless the response to the department's appeal for staff improves next week, it was not be possible to start in lhe southern centres till the New Year. Giving these facts yesterday. Mr. H. L. Bockctt, Director of the National Service Department, said that in Wellington and Auckland the department’s newspaper and radio appeal had brought forward some very fine ; applicants, several of them with excellent experience. lie explained that the service Io urgent cases is to become available first, and would b« given to homes where there were young children and the mother was sick, or going into a maternity hospital, or in any other way was incapacitated. The girls applying were most of them in their twenties, ard were geon and promising. The workers’ charge for their services would be two shilling an hour, or £4 a week. In cases where hardship could he established some relief from these charges would bf available. It was hoped later. Mr. Bockett said, to establish » hostel in which the gint would live and be trained. It wa« planned to have voting girls coming from school to take up domestic aid work as a career, and within a hostel they would have their oarly training department planned, also to work in conjunction with technical colleges in the training plan.

PLUNKET SOCIETY’S SUPPORT (P.A ) Wellington, Nov. 16. The Dominion Council of the Plunket Society passed a resolution congratulating the Government on launching the home aid scheme and expressing the hope that many rec.ruiti will be forthcoming. The society also urged that the position of superintendent of home aids be adverMeed J throughout the Dominion.