WOMEN’S LAND ARMY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 November 1942, Page 2

WOMEN’S LAND ARMY

BRANCH TO BE FORMED IN MASTERTON ) IMPORTANT AND VALUABLE SERVICE. ADDRESSES BY MRS DREAVER & OTHERS. The urgent need of forming a branch of the Women’s War Service Auxiliary in Masterton was stressed by several speakers at a meeting held last night, at which Mrs Dreaver, M.P., spoke on the work of the Women's Land Army. A resolution was passed that a branch be formed. . The meeting, which was largely attended, was presided over by the deputy-Mayor, Councillor W. White, in the absence of the Mayor, Mr T. Jordan. Mrs Dreaver said that a branch of the Women’s War Service Auxiliary was badly needed in Masterton. Without a branch, the work of establishing a section of the Land Army here was hampered. Mrs Dreaver said the girls in the Land Army did no domestic work. They were replacing men and doing men’s work. The Government provided a smart uniform (Mrs Dreaver was wearing the uniform) modelled on the English Land Army dress. Members of the Land Army could make use of the Soldiers’ Financial Assistance Board and their wages were £2 Is for the first three months and £2 8s thereafter. The Government provided a subsidy of £1 for living allowance in addition to the wage. Mrs Dreaver emphasised that the Women’s Land Army was not a temporary organisation; it was for the duration of the war. Messrs J. Robertson, member for Masterton, and Ben Roberts, member for Wairarapa, and R. W. Kebbell, chairman of the Wairarapa Primary Production Council, spoke briefly. Mr Robertson stressed the need of growing primary produce and Mr Roberts referred to the Maori production effort. Mr Kebbell said that the Land Army was of great importance to the farmer, under the Women’s War Service Auxiliary. Mrs Dreaver, introduced by ■ Mr Robertson, spoke briefly at local theatres last night. Yesterday afternoon she was entertained at afternoon tea by the women’s branch executive of the Labour Party. In welcoming Mrs Dreaver to Masterton, Mrs Copp presented her with a bunch of roses.