GLOVES FOR AIRMEN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 December 1939, Page 3

GLOVES FOR AIRMEN

j STEPS TO MEET LARGE ORDER. i 1 I 5,000 PAIRS TO DE HAND-KNITTED. J One of the immediate jobs five of the j Provincial Patriotic councils have in hand is to arrange for the knitting of woollen gloves for New Zealanders who will be going to Canada under the Empire aviation training scheme. The Defence Purchase Division called for tenders for 5,000 pairs of these gloves which are worn underneath the airman's leather gauntlets, but there were not the knitting machines in this country to do the job. An appeal was made to the National Patriotic Fund Board to see if it would be able to help the Defence Purchase Officer out of the difficulty. The matter was taken up at once, and as the result of the steps that have been taken the gloves required will be knitted in this country without delay. First the office of the National Patriotic Fund Board in Wellington approached Mrs Saunders, of the Air Force Relations Organisation and the wife of Group-Captain H. W. L. Saunders. Chief of the New Zealand Air Staff. Mrs Saunders obtained a pattern of the glove issued by the Royal Air Force, and this was taken to an expert knitter who was asked to knit the same article as far as was practicable by hand, and to advise upon the ratio of skeins of wool to knitted gloves. It was found' that nine skeins of wool would knit four pairs of gloves. The next siep was to ask the knitter to prepare instructions for the knitting of the gloves. This was duly done and since then many copies have been run off by the National Patriotic Fund Board for distribution to the Councils which have been asked to have the gloves knitted.

The Auckland Patriotic Council has been asked to undertake the responsibility of having 2.000 pairs of the gloves knitted, the Wellington Patriotic Council 1,000 pairs, Christchurch 1.000 pairs, Dunedin 751) pairs, and Nelson 250 pairs. The wool will be supplied from the factories to the order of the National Patriotic Fund Board. It has been estimated that, over 7001bs of wool will bo required to fulfil the order. The task has been tackled with a will, and what a few days ago appeared to be rather a problem has been speedily overcome. It only remains for the ladies in the five districts named to give their practical support Io the project and it is not anticipated that there will be any difficulty in this regard. They will be doing work which will be j greatly appreciated and which will be of great service to their country.