DOMINION AT WAR

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 14, 12 October 1943, Page 3

DOMINION AT WAR

8500 FEMALES SERVING VERY EFFECTIVE CONTRIBUTION Many thousands of New Zealand women are doing noteworthy worjc in every phase of the Dominion's war effort. At the. outbreak of the Avar there were many women's organisations anxious: to undertake war work. The Women's War Service Auxiliary Avas established to* co-oi;clinatc and help them to make their most effective contribution. It recruits women for the Armed Forces Auxiliaries and interviews girls registering for national service. It sets up a training class for firstraid, truck driving, motor engineering, signalling, canteen, clerical and farm work. W.W.S.A. The membership ol' the W.W.S.A. and affiliated organisations is about 78,,000. Nearly 8500 women are in the Armecl Forces. The personnel is as follows: Army nurses, 350 i; W.A.A.F., 3500; W.A.A.C., 400; W.R.N.S., 400. Army nurses in the Middle East have won the admiration and gratitude of the New Zealand Division for their courageous work through all its campaigns. Some of them travelled with the advanced field hospitals in the long pursuit of Rommel's army. Here in New Zealand the Air Force established the first women's auxiliary unit—on January 16, 1941. No longer only transport drivers, ty pistes or cooks, W.A.F.F.'s now perform highly technical duties. The Navy's W.R.N.S- next. The duties of the Wres*»' 'include map-plotting and special technical and secret work. W.A.A.C.'s Strongest The Army's the last auxiliary to be established,, is strongest in numbers. Some Waacs. serve with coastal batteries and at antiaircraft stations, operating predic-

tors and range and height finders. Some are engaged in radio location. Women serving in the auxiliaries have done excellent worls in the Middle East and, in the Pacific zone.

Women working in factories, offices, public services, and. on the land, have replaced men for service in the Armed Forces.

To aid the war effort many of them have returned to their former emi>loyment after years of married life. Hundreds of them have thus returned as school teachers or as woollen mill or hoot operatives. Many have undertaken work that is unpleasant, as, for instance, 'in freezing works. Whatever the occupation women have performed it has been with skill and efficienc3 r beyond praise. Land) Service The Women's Land Service has 700 members employed in all branches of farming, including dairying and care of live-stock, tractor driving, sheep and pastoral farming. In the Government service 10,000 women have undertaken wartime employment. They have proved themselves capable of performing almost every tas'k that a man can do. In factories last year 35,000 women were employed, compared with 25,000 pre-war. Nearly 6000* girls have been directed into munition and other war industries. About 107,000 women aged 18 to 30 have been registered for direction from non-essential to essential work. Altogether there are 220,000' women in employment to-day compared with 180,000 in 1939.