REGISTRATION OF WOMEN

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 292, 8 September 1942, Page 4

REGISTRATION OF WOMEN

Call On More Age Groups Thought Probable

Consideration is now being given, it is understood, to the question of bringing age groups into the national registration of women in New Zealand. It is thought probable that there will be action along these lines at an early date, and that the utilization of the services of women in the war effort is going to receive a rapidly increasing share of attention by the National Service Department. Steps are to be taken to prosecute in all cases where there is an evasion of their obligations by women who come within the registration classes, which at present cover those .who have attained the age of 20 years and who have not reached that of 24 years. Because of the difficulty of securing accommodation, pools of womanpower in the classes already registered have not yet been called on in certain areas away from the largei centres, but it is said that this does not dispose of the need for calling up further classes for registration, because it is considered desirable to have available a pool from which a better selection of the most suitable type can be obtained. It has been estimated that the total number bf women aged 20 to 24 in New Zealand who are liable at present for registration is 52,000. This is ba,sed on a census estimate of the population, plus the inflow of those who have attained the age of 20 since the first registration of women on March IS of this year. Actually, some 41,971 had registered by August 31. The deficiency is mainly in the 22-23 age group, where the result is considered to be very disappointing. The estimate of the number who should have registered does not include exempted classes such as women in the Armed Forces, hospital employees, invalids and others. All the remainder, married or single, are liable. One of the reasons assigned for the registrations falling short of what they should be is that at first registration was a novel feature, and that the compulsory registration of the second age group followed immediately on the opening of the campaign for volunteer women recruits for the forces. During the period of the publicity campaign from August 3 to August 31 emphasizing the obligation on young women to register, some 1433 of the 20-21 class registered, even if belatedly, but of the 5000 men who had not fulfilled their obligation to register in the 48-50 age class, only 326 came forward. Action is now being taken to check up on all those men and women who, being liable, have failed to register, and on those whose attainment of the minimum age since the registrations were first called for brings them into line also. There should be about 31,000 registrations of women in the 20-21 age class, it is estimated by the National Service Department, and about 28,000 have enrolled, so that, the position in this group is considered fairly satisfactory. The most disconcerting feature is said to b' in the second group, ages 22-23. whore only 13.806 have registered out of an estimated total of 21,000 who are liable.

Whereas 3592 women of ages 20r2t had registered in the Wellington-Low-er-I-Tutt district up to August 3, in terms of the first registration order, only 1965 of ages 22-23 had registered under the next erdor up to August 31.