W.D.F.U. HOUSEKEEPERS.

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 205, 28 August 1940, Page 4

W.D.F.U. HOUSEKEEPERS.

TT f Of the community should be on the local committees which formed vmits of the Home Guard, was a point stressed by the associate-Min-ister of National Service, the Hon. D. Wilson, in his address to local body representatives on Saturday night. Particularly valuable services in this connection could be rendered by the Returned Soldiers' Association but it was vitally necessary to have a good representation of the workers—because they would form the backbone of the movement.

Something of the excellent work of the Women's Division of the Farmers' Union Housekeeping is known to those who ha.ve been associated with the movement, but to the average person the title is meaningless and the actual operations are a mystery. The: brandh is dedicated to the assistance of farmers wives who through illness or misfortune are compelled to look for help from outside sources. Many a countrywoman during her period of indisposition has hac cause to bless the efforts of this organisation, while the housekeepers themselves are known for their sympathy, understanding and- kindliness. Unfortunately m these days of labour shortage, the work of the organisation hampered by the shortage of suitable women offering themselves as housekeepers. The war demands upon the: primary industries of this country, make it doubly importa that no efforts should be spared to ensure the ma— production in all dairying lines. Heie is where in order to obtain the utmost from the mdiyitaj farms the farmer's wife can also play her P »t But what is hampering these good intentions is the fact that tl are no women offering to assist m the rural hom • those women who declare their .willingness to work on he land have no intention of going into the home and relieving the farmer's wife of duties. Yet the farmer's wife is inevitably better qualified to assist her husband than any rs good permcu M J araes p B. Maunder and with the district organisers, Mesctames E. C. Haultain of Awakeri.

A Major Centre "I am visiting the majpr portion of the North Island," said the Hon. D. Wilson, associate-Minister of National Service on Saturday night, "and of course Whakatane had to be one point of call." The Minister* detailing his itinerary, said he had addressed meetings at MaSterton, Napier and Gisborne. His tour would be concluded with visits to Rotorua, New. Plymouth, Hawera and Wanganui. A telegram received at the BEACON office on Monday morn ing indicated that the Hon. D. Wilson was then in New Plymouth.