THE LAND ARMY

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 9, 6 October 1943, Page 6

THE LAND ARMY

More Recruits Urgently Wanted APPEAL TO WOMEN BY MINISTER ‘•The Women’s Land Service in New Zealand is in urgent need of recruits, said the Minister of Rehabilitation Major iO. F. Skinner, in an appeal to women last night. “The spring season is upon us, and this is the time when the farmers need all the assistance can give them. It depends upon the wmnfn of New Zealand whether or no we can gather in the harvests and till the land, tend the flocks and* generally assist the farmer in the 101 things that have to be done around the farm, lhe call is made to every woman in Uns country to consider her position and -ive more than passing thought to join- ’ in- the Women’s Land Service. -It does not matter where you work or what you do you can apply for the Wbmen’s Land .Service at any. offiev of the Women’s War .Service nrv at your district Manpower Office. writing direct to the National Service Department, Wellington, con Hnued the Minister. .“There must be thousands of women in New Zeak.iid who would like to have a change and who would like to work in the ’ •'combining the benefits of nn .°f ell “ healthy life with a vital war 30b Don t ' he«itate anv longer. Go along to your local W.W.S.A. or District Oflice, make full inquiries and fill in 3 an application form as soon as possible : wrlA*. ,««-► - so there’s 110 worry about clothing tq “Xou el m’ay wonder just how you’ll get on with your employer. Most ot tne girls find that life on a. farm is a home away from home, but in any case tl e Women’s War .Service Auxiliary and the Primary Production Councils watch ovm the interests and conditions of the gins very carefully. Living quarters must be clean and suitable and the land girl may have her own private room and suitable fit “ The actual work women are called upon to do is not heavy. Regulations ensure that land girls cannot he called upon for heavy duties. There is worst available on both sheep and dairy farms. On sheep farms—mustering, general.tending of stock, tractor and team driving, haymaking and so on. On dairy farms milking, harvesting and other associated jobs. All these duties are pleasant and healthy, and once a girl gets into the run of things she is to all intents and purposes her own boss. The members of the Women’s Land ■ Service receive board and lodgings free of cost and are paid good wages. On dairy farms a new recruit receives in addition to being clothed and equipped and board and lodgings, £2/1/- a week. That’s equal to at least £4 a week in the city. After six months she is really experienced and therefore worth more, so she gets £2/8/(i a week. On general farms, board, lodgings and clothing are all free and for the first six months a new recruit gets £1 16/- a week, and thereafter £2/3/6. Better Off in Country. So taking everything into consideration a Land Service girl is really muea better off than her sisters in the city. .She gets good wages which she really can save—she has a fine healthy, open air life, and she is enjoying a change from the humdrum of town life. “Those farmers who have already availed themselves' of land girls speak very highly of the vital war service they have rendered, and at this stage I would ask all those farmers who are having difficulty in obtaining sufficient labour to discuss -with their local Primary Production Council the possibility of. obtaining the services of a land girl. It is recognized that a raw recruit going on a farm is not so valuable as an experienced worker. For this reason, the National Service Department will pay to the em- ‘ ployer a training subsidy of 20/- a week • for a total -maximum period of three /months, and for a further period of 'three months a subsidy of 12/6 a week provided the farmer undertakes to teach the land girl all classes of available farm work suitable to female performance. .So while a new member of the Women’s Land Service is learning to become a valuable acquisition on the farm, her employer is not expected to bear the burden of paying full wages, but as she becomes more experienced theu it.is only natural that the employer who reaps the benefit of this experience should pay more of her wages. The farmers who are doing such a magnificent job of war production need this help urgently, and we ask for their full co-operation in developing to the ftill the keenness and enthusiasm of inexperienced members .of . the .'Women’s Land Service. Applications for land girls should be made to local “Primary’ Production Committees or District Production Councils. “Any girl or woman aged 17 or over, no matter what her present position may be, can apply for the Women’s Land ■Service,” said Major Skinner. “Full details and application forms are available at all W.W.S.A. offices and district ■ manpower offices. The positions available must be filled as soon as possible. This is a great opportunity for a change to country life. Regulations provide for a girl’s present position to be open for her after the war.”