LAND SERVICE

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XXXI, Issue 8832, 12 October 1942, Page 3

LAND SERVICE

RULES AND PURPOSES MRS GRIGG, MJE, IN PAEROA ADDRESS GIVEN ON THURSDAY The Coronation Chambers, Paeroa, Were taxed to their capacity .last Thursday afternoon when Mrs A. N. Grigg, M.P. for Mid-Canterbury addressed a meeting on the formation of the Women’s Land Service. In a very interesting address the speaker explained the rules governing the Women’s Land Service which, she said, had been formed to meet the labour emergency and thereby keep up production of foodstuffs so badly needed by the Armed Forces. Mrs Grigg, in rising to address the meeting, looked particularly smart in the uniform, of the Women’s Land Service. She remarked how taken she was with what she had seen of the Thames Valley which was so much greener than her home district, Canterbury.

The meeting had no connection at all with party politics, she stated, and she was merely campaigning to help New Zealand’s war effort, being very interested in farming herself. She said she knew the difficulties farmers and farmers’ wives were facing as a result of the war, being short of labour and having to work long hours' Her present task was a double job and she had to not only persuade girls to join the Women’s Land Service but also persuade farmers and even farmers’ wives to take girls on to their farms. The present day was not the time to let likes and dislikes enter into our affairs and the farmers had a big job before them in producing enough goodstuff not only for New Zealand and England but also for the men in the Armed Forces.

The men in the forces had the spectacular job but it was the good solid farmer who was carrying out the very important work of feeding and clothing both the civilian population and the forces. Because New Zealand had been spared the horrors of invasion it was the duty of the Dominion to do the job of feeding those who were in the front line in Great Britain and elsewhere.

Speaking of her own experiences in England during the Great War of 1914-18 Mrs Grigg said she had been often hungry and had eaten food which under normal circumstances she would have refused. This war such countries as Denmark, 'Holland, Norway, Finland and Esthonia which, -had sent food to England during 19141918 were unable to do so.

New Zealand had the job of not only feeding the people of England but she had to produce huge quantities of vegetables for canning so that they could be shipped to the men in the forces wherever they might be. This year an additional 30,200 tons of tomatoes, 12,000 tons of peas, 16,000 tons of cabbage, 30,200 tons of fruit and Jam, 8600 tons of dried milk, 3000 tons of onions and 4,000,000 dozen eggs were needed and these were all produce which girls could produce. The forces have also asked for 11,000 tons more pork with additional quantities of beef and mutton.

Tremendous Task There is a tremendous task before New Zealand, continued Mrs Grigg, and although it was only a small country it had a very .big heart and she personally thought it could do the job. Actually New Zealand had slipped in the past because both wheat and potatoes had had to be imported and this should not be necessary in a primary producing country. It was not right that shipping space so urgently required for war material should be taken up with produce which could be grown in New Zealand. Repeating that she was sure New Zealand was equal to the task, Mrs Grigg repeated the old saying that it was not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog that counted.

As a result of the call for extra production an appeal had been made to girls and the Women’s Land Corps had been formed but only 140 girls had joined up with this movement. These girls had done a very good job of work but had received very little recognition. When the need for labour had become more acute still and it had been decided to scrap the Women’s Land Corp.and start afresh the Women’s Land Service being formed the Women’s Land Service had the same status as the other organisations in which girls were serving and uniforms would be issued to every girl who joined op. The cost of outfitting each recruit would be approximately £2O.

Two Uniforms The uniform would consist of a working kit issued on placement of two hats (one sou’-wester), three overalls, one pair gumboots, one pair leggings, two pairs boots,' three pairs socks, three shirts, one oilskin raincoat and one leather jerkin. The dress uniform which would be issued after a girl had done one month’s satisfactory service would be tailormade and would consist of one service uniform, two dress hats, one pair of shoes, two pairs of stockings, two shirts, one tie, one pair of gloves and one top coat.

Holidays had -been arranged under the Agricultural Workers’ Act, 1926 and wages would be as follows: — Dairy farmers, first six months, £2 Is, thereafter, £2 8s 6d; general farms, first six months £1 16s, thereafter -35 3s 6d; board and lodging to be provided by the employer free of cost or if boarded out £1 per week to be paid.. Girls who join the Women’s Land Service may have the right to get their normal job back after the war just the same as any man. going into the forces.

Speaking from the farmers’ point of view Mr .Grigg said she knew that

some men would be somewhat .prejudiced against employing girls but she assured them that they could do the job just as well as many men. She quoted an instance in Canterbury where a man and a girl each handled 1500 ewes at lambing time and the girl did the job just as well as the man although the man had thought differently prior to the lambing season.

In England there were 28,000 girls on the land and they were doing a great job of work. Mrs Grigg read a letter from England which stated that many of the English land girls had said that they would not go back to town jobs after the epen-air life. Speaking of New Zealand, Mrs Grigg said she had met an Auckland ,-girl who had formerly worked as a photographer’s retoucher who had taken a farm job. After about six weeks the girl had gone back to Auckland but could not stand the town after the outdoor life and had gone back to the country. When the scheme was fully working it was hoped to establish hostels for the land girls but at present there were more applications, for girls from farmers prepared to billet them than there were girls offering. Where upon any farm only one member is employed she shall be accommodated within the homestead and shall not be required to share a room with any member of the employer’s family, explained Mrs Grigg. Where, however, two or more members are employed on the same farm, accommodation may be detached quarters suitably fitted up for occupation of two or more members. In such cases, meals must be supplied by the employer in the homestead except that any universal custom of taking a meal away from the homestead (e.g., “cut lunch”) may be followed. Full laundry and bathing etc. facilities must be made available to members.

Some farmers might think that they would have to waste too much time in showing a girl what to do but this had been provided for, explained Mrs Grigg. A subsidy of £1 per week would be paid for the first three months and then 12s 6d per week for a further three months. Make Girls Comfortable

Speaking to the farmers’ wives, Mrs Grigg appealed to them to make conditions as comfortable as possible for the land girls. Many of the girls would be giving up comfortable homes apd good jobs to help in this war effort qnd deserved all the consideration possible. Every application for a farm girl will be investigated by the Primary Production Council so that girls will not be sent to unsuitable places. All women considered suitable shall be eligible subject to a minimum age of 18 years as at the date of enrolment. Girls under 21 years of age must obtain their parents’ consent before joining the service, stated Mrs Grigg. Girls working on relatives’ farms (i.e., father or brother), can join the Women’s Land Service and will be supplied with the dress outfit but not the working kit, stated Mrs Grigg. She added that she did' not think it was fair that these girls should not get the working kit and would take the matter up with the authorities when she got back in Wellington. Fathers would not secure subsidies for inexperienced daughters. In conclusion Mrs Grigg made a stirring appeal to all to get behind the war effort instancing the suffering of othter countries which had been overrun by the Axis forces. Nobody could live a soft life or slack on the job if the Allied Nations were to win the war. All must do the best they were capable of then when victory was won they, too, could say “we too did our part.” Enrol Maori Girls Mr W. H. Taylor (Paeroa) asked had anything been done to enrol Maori girls for work on the land. These girls offered a big field from which land girls could be secured. Mrs Grigg said the question had not been brought forward before but promised to take the matter up in Wellington. Mr R. Baker (Turua) endorsed the suggestion made by Mr Taylor stating that there were many Maori girls who could work on the land and do a good job too. Mrs E. Turton (iPaeroa) stated that Maori girls could volunteer for any of the farms if they wished.

Mrs J. A. Reid (Netherton), protested very strongly against the regulation preventing girls working on relatives’ farms being supplied with working kit. Some of the girls had left good jobs to help their parents and brothers in the present emergency and they should receive the same recognition as the other girls especially in the way of clothes. Work clothes wore out very quickly and it was not fair that these girls should have to use their coupons t.o buy new working clothes, while other girls had them provided. Mrs Grigg promised to bring Mrs Reid’s protest before the authorities. The meeting closed with a hearty vote of thanks to Mrs Grigg and to the chair.