NAVAL OFFICER’S APPEAL

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 257, 29 July 1942, Page 3

NAVAL OFFICER’S APPEAL

Call To Women For Service

The need in New Zealand for women and girls to enlist in the armed forces was urgent and time ivas pressing, wutd Lieutenant-Commander E. M. Beasley speaking at the air-raid shelter in >’ ellington yesterday, "Navy Day in the recruiting week for women in A ellington. Miss Ruth Herrick, commandant, W.R.N.S., was present. Already thousands of New Zealand women and girls were engaged in vital war production, industries and transport services, he said. Now' a call was being sent out for women for the fighting services “Wrens” were needed as cooks, wireless telegraphists, teleprinter operators, mess waitresses, shorthand typists, clerks, and in many other specialized forms of work, the nature ot which could not be made public. As the numbers in each type of employment would be comparatively small a high standard was expected of all selected applicants. The W.R.N.S. would be a much smaller service than the W.A.A.F. and the W.A.A.C. Women in Britain were performing a most valuable service for the Navy, which fully realized this and was proud of its feminine branch. By the nature of things New Zealanders were a sealoving and sea-going people. The sea sense was not confined to the men; women had it, too. The speaker said he was afraid the women would not be sent to sea, though he knew many would like to go. “We do not mind it you talk about the front end or the back end m a ship, but you will, however, be surrounded by the atmosphere of the Navy, sharing its traditions and its interests, he added. . . , ... The wonderful fighting record of New Zealand men serving overseas was wellknown. Women of New Zealand weie ot the same blood, the same kith ami kin tis these men, and all knew they would prote themselves to measure up to the same high standard. Between SO and 90 women enrolled yesterday. The Trentham military band was in attendance at the shelter.