650 WAAFS NEEDED FOR TWO YEARS MORE

Chronicle (Levin), 18 March 1946, Page 2

650 WAAFS NEEDED FOR TWO YEARS MORE

There are now only (350 Waafs in key positions throughout New Zealand, as compared with 3.700 at the peak period of service^ said the Direc.tor of the WAAF, Wing Oflicer E. N. Carlyon, interviewed at Wellington. Until replacements can be found it will not be possible to disponse with the services of the girls who are holding such positions as short-hand-typ-ists, medical and dental ordorlies, librarians, clerks, mess-hands and cooks. There are also Waafs iu eharge of equipment aud flying confrol see* tions who have a thorough knowledge of their work, and wliose release would necessitate training men to take their plaees. While 110 policy has yet been laid down by Air Department as to the possible retention of Waafs in the regular Air Force, it is ant.icipated tliat they will be required for at least another two years. No furtlier enlistinents of Waafs have been accepted since VJDay. Wing Oflicer Carlyon said that as a result of disparaging coniments made by some people to Air Force girls and inquiries as to why they were still in uniform instead of "doing a useful job, " the girls were now permitted to wcar mufti in their oft'-duty hours. One thing that Wing Oflicer Carlyon is convinced of is that the legend that women caunot work and live together amicably has been delinitelv disproved. During all the years in which Waafs have been leading 'corfununal lives in their liostels and on station, there has been a singular lack of pettiness and back-biting, with very few cases in which girls liave not reacted well to community life. Wing Oflicer Carlyon spoko of the splendid work tlie Maori Waafs had done. They were capable, very neat and clever with their fingers. With their pakeha comrades they all felt au intense loyalty to the seivice and in this they were backed by their families and their tribal committees, who gave their assistanee during their terms of serying.