WOMEN IN ARMED FORCES

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 280, 25 August 1942, Page 4

WOMEN IN ARMED FORCES

Method Of Recruiting PROBLEM OF NATIONAL CONCERN

Recent criticism of the, method whereby women are being recruited for service in the armed forces, including suggestion that each service should conduct its own recruiting campaign, was referred to last evening by the Minister of National Service, Mr. Broadfoot. He said the main objection to such a course lay chiefly in the fact that employment of women in* the armed forces was not merely an individual problem of the respective services, but one of national concern, and from the Government’s point of view must be considered on that basis.

“If women are i required for the armed forces, it is the Government’s duty to see that they are obtained according to the requirements of the respective services,” said the Minister. “To have three bodies recruiting independently and competing for the services of the same persons is undesirable under any circumstances, particularly when the relative numerical requirements of the services vary to a marked degree. It would be definitely unwise to permit a system to operate whereby one service may retain applications from a large number of recruits, when its requirements may be relatively small, whereas -'another service may be short of personnel. For this reason, therefore, a scheme whereby the three services recruit independently has not been in operation, and some 18 months ago, when the question of the employment of women in the forces was first approved (for the Air Force, in tlie first instance), it was laid down that there would be one organization, to handle all womens applications for war service. Handling of Applications. “The Women’s War Service Auxiliary has been the organization charged with the responsibility for handling all applications from women’enlisting for both overseas and home service, and till recently actually posted- women into the Army when requests for personnel were made. In view of the large number of women now required, the auxiliary, through its numerous branches —there are over 300 throughout the Dominion —confines its function in this respect to recruiting and, in fact, acts as a preliminary clearing house for all. applications; In' addition, this organization ensures that each application is placed before the respective District Manpower Officer, whose responsibility it is to see each applicant and to indicate whether or not the, intending recruit is available for release for war service, having regard to the importance of her occupation. “Profiting from the experience gained during the voluntary enlistment of men, the Government has sought to ensure that women recruits are utilized on a sound economic basis, that they will be withdrawn from industry only to the extent of the requirements of’ the services, and that they will be employed on duties suitable to their training, skill an'd qualifications. “With the co-operation of the three services, a Women’s Armed Forces Personnel Board has been set up in Wellington. This boardcomprises a representative of each of the three services, and of the Women’s War Service Auxiliary.

“It should be mentioned that each recruit has an opportunity of stating her preference for service, i.e., Navy, Army, or Air Force, and as far as possible applicants are given the opportunity of serving in that branch of the service for which they show preference. Having regard to all circumstances, however, the Personnel Board’s responsibility is to ensure that while individual preference will be given consideration, the allocation of personnel between the three services will be in accordance with requirements, so that no one service will have a large reserve of recruits, while another service is short of personnel.”

Liability of Recruits.

“I would also like to take this opportunity of commenting on two important points which have arisen as a result of the recruiting campaign, and .have been represented as tending to make women hesitate before applying for war service,” said Mr. Broadfoot. “The first is that women are required to enlist on the condition that they are prepared to serve for the duration of the war and 12 months thereafter, unless discharged. The second is the liability of recruits for service in any part of the country.

“Though these are the general conditions of service, whicli normally apply, it can (be stated quite definitely that if a woman enlists and her domestic circumstances or arrangements change in a manner which would justify her discharge, the services will favourably consider the granting of her release. This will apply particularly to the wives of soldiers who are serving overseas. If the husbands return from overseas, no difficulty ■will be placed in the way of these women obtaining their discharges. Every application will naturally -be dealt with on its merits, but women may be assured that applications for release will be treated on a very reasonable (basis. “As far as the question of serving in auy part of New 'Zealand is concerned, it is the policy of the three services, if it can possibly be arranged, to post women to duties as near as possible to their places of residence. It must be understood that this does not imply that a woman may live at home, ibut if she is not living at home she will normally -be housed in barracks or in some other suitable accommodation provided by the respective services. “While the general tendency will always be to post women to the nearest suitable vacancy adjacent to their respective residences, no definite undertaking can be given that this will be adhered to in all -cases; -but women may rest assured that, having regard to all circumstances and the particular requirements of each service, these arrangements will be carried out wherever possible.”