H.—lla

SECTION VIII. —WOMEN'S WAR SERVICE AUXILIARY (i) Strength of Auxiliary and Distribution of Members 207. Section I of Part I of the report describes the establishment of the Women's War Service Auxiliary as one of the, national service organizations brought into being in 1940. 208. The functions of the Auxiliary were defined at the outset as— (а) To provide a national organization of women and girls and thereby further the war effort. (б) To co-ordinate and direct the war effort of women to prevent overlapping. (c) To compile a register of the woman-power of the Dominion. (d) To promote activities and provide training facilities for women and girls who have not been able to obtain such training facilities through other organizations. 209. The register of woman-power compiled by the Auxiliary included the names of all women volunteering for work calculated to assist the war effort. 210. The strength of the Women's War Service Auxiliary and affiliated organizations reached a peak in 1942 of 75,000. (ii) Fields of Contribution 211. The Women's War Service Auxiliary has performed valuable work in organizing a number of groups of voluntary workers from its register. 212. Land Group.—This group (500 strong as at 31st March, 1945) has been mainly concerned with the growing of vegetables in plots which have been lent to the Auxiliary for the duration of the war. Groups of women growing vegetables in these plots have donated the vegetables to Service clubs, and in some districts vegetables have been sold, the profits having been paid into patriotic funds. In addition, the women working in the Land Group have been instructed in the cultivation of vegetables and seedlings. 213. Clerical Section. —In the Clerical Section of the Auxiliary, 10,000 members of the Auxiliary are included. This section performed the bulk of the clerical and typing work for the Home Guard and Emergency Precautions Service, and also performed considerable work for the Service arms. Clerical Group members for long periods attended nightly at Army offices and at Service camps to overtake arrears of clerical work. The clerical and typing contribution of the Auxiliary members has played an important part in the mobilization of New Zealand's military man-power. 214. Canteen Section.- -Members of the Auxiliary included in this section numbered 20,000. From this large number of volunteers, women have been drawn to staff canteen huts at military camps and to staff Service clubs and hospitals throughout the Dominion. During 1942 and 1943, when there was such a large number of New Zealand and Allied troops in New Zealand, the work done by members of the Canteen Section was most valuable. 215. Members of the Canteen Section have continued to perform their work at New Zealand camps throughout the past year and have assisted greatly in catering for returning drafts of ex-servicemen. In addition, members of the Canteen Section have organized and staffed the Swan Club in Auckland, which is a club established for Service personnel of the W.A.A.F., W.R.N.S., and W.A.A.C. 216. Hospital Group.—The total number in this group of the Auxiliary at the end of March was 2,000. Women from this group have been called upon to do visiting hospital work and to train as hospital aides in kitchen and laundry work. Any hospital work not undertaken by the Red Cross or the Order of St. John or the regular hospital staff has been performed by the Hospital Group of the Auxiliary. The group has also done voluntary work for the Emergency Precautions Service and Hospital Boards, such as the admission of patients, telephone work, and clerical work, &c. 217. Obstetrical Group.—Numbering 250, the members of the Auxiliary in this group have made a valuable leisure-time contribution as obstetrical voluntary aides. In Wellington alone one group numbers 30 women, all of whom are engaged in full-time employment. It has become an established part of the nursing personnel of Government maternity hospitals in the city. 218. Sewing and Knitting Groups.—Members of the Auxiliary, irrespective of section, have organized themselves into sewing and knitting groups and have performed valuable work by knitting garments with home-spun wool and other wool for men of the Merchant and Royal Navy. 219. Signalling Group.—This group of the Auxiliary at the time of the Japanese invasion threat undertook intensive training in Morse and semaphore and greatly assisted the Home Guard and E.P.S. 220. Transport Group.—The women of the Auxiliary in this group at present number 5,000 and are trained in all sections of civilian transport. In most districts the members of the Transport Group have been seconded to the E.P.S. The Transport Group of the Auxiliary has been responsible in a number of districts for the collection of waste paper, and has been at all times on call for emergency-precautions work. In addition, the group has assisted the Army in voluntary driving and has taken a number of truck and car service convoys from point to point. 221. Other Work undertaken by the Auxiliary.—Until July of 1942 the Auxiliary was responsible for the recruitment of women in the W.A.A.C., and 600 women had been so placed as at that date. From that time, however, the recruitment of women by each of the three Service arms was undertaken directly, and the Auxiliary was not called upon to act further. 222. The Auxiliary has, in addition, assisted with national campaigns such as loans, bond sales, Patriotic Fund appeals, &c., and has also assisted the national effort by the manufacture of camouflage nets, by the encouragement of women to undertake first-aid courses, and by co-operation with the National Service Department in the allocation of women workers for work in linen-flax factories in the South Island. The W.W.S.A. also co-operates with the Department in maintaining contact with members of the Women's Land Service through its District Committees and attending to any welfare aspects which arise.

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