New Zealand Women's Land Service Handbook of Information

NEW ZEALAND
WOMEN’S LAND SERVICE

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HANDBOOK
OF
INFORMATION

Issued by the Authority of the Director of National Service

WOMEN’S LAND SERVICE

Summary of Rules and Procedure

N.B.—This booklet is for the information of members and
employers. The Rules may be amended from time to time
without notice, but periodically members and employers will be
notified of all changes.

ELIGIBILITY AND AGE-LIMIT

1. All women considered suitable may join the New Zealand Women’s Land Service subject to a minimum age of seventeen years as at the date of enrolment for girls available for place- ment on any farm and eighteen years for girls available for placement only on a farm owned or leased by some near relative. Girls under the age of twenty-one years must obtain the consent of parent of guardian. The Service is open to girls already employed on the land in receipt of at least award rate of wages; famers’ wives, sharemilkers' wives, or girls milking on a share basis are not regarded as eligible to join the Service.

PERIOD OF SERVICE

1. Applicants must enrol only for full-time work and for durational service. No member may leave the Land Service without the consent of the Director of National Service, and this consent will be forthcoming only where there are very good grounds. Application forms are obtainable from the local branch of the Women’s War Service Auxiliary or the District Man-power Officer. Famers’ application forms are obtainable from both these sources and, in addition, from District Primary Production Councils.

PLACEMENT

1. Generally placement will be made subject to the presence on a farm of at least one man physically fit and avail- able to undertake the heavier duties. This condition may be waived by the Director, National Service Department, on the recommendation of the Primary Production Council. A member is entitled to reject employment on a farm where there is no male labour. As far as placement is generally concerned, every effort will be made to place members on the type of farm and in the district they prefer. Where girls obtain positions themselves they will be accepted into the Land Service, provided all conditions can be complied with. Girls may be placed or transferred by District Man-power Officers, Women’s War Service Auxiliary, or Primary Pro- duction Councils, as well as by the Director, National Service Department. Where placement or transfer is made other than by the Director of National Service, his prior consent is necessary.

WAGES

1. The wages payable are those stated in the Agricultural Workers’ Labour Suspension Order 1941, and Amendment; these are shown hereunder:—

Dairy Farm.
£ s. d.
General Farm.
£ s. d.
First six months’ employment , if
inexperienced .. .. ..

2 1 0

1 16 0
Thereafter, or if experienced on
joining the Service .. ..

2 8 6

2 3 6
Board and lodging must be provided by the employer free
of cost, or in lieu thereof he must pay keep at the rate of £1
per week. Wages-tax is payable on the full wages received,
including keep.
“Dairy-farm” means a farm on which not less than ten
cows are ordinarily kept and from which milk or cream is sold
or otherwise disposed of in the ordinary course of business.

2.
TRAINING PERIOD AND SUBSIDY

1. In respect of inexperienced workers placed under the conditions of the Land Service the National Service Department will pay the employer a training subsidy of £1 per week for the first three months’ employment and 12s. 6d. per week for a further three months. The employer will in the first place pay the prescribed wages and then make application for subsidy at four-weekly intervals. The District Man-power Officer will contact the employer after an inexperienced girl is placed with him and advise him of the procedure necessary to obtain subsidy. Employers are required to see that their land girl obtains the best possible training during this period. Training subsidy will not be paid in respect of any member employed upon a farm owned or leased by a near relative.

ACCOMMODATION

1. Where upon any farm only one member is employed, she must be accommodated within the homestead and shall not be required to share a room with any member of the employer’s family. Where however, there are two or more members employed on the same farm they may be accommo- dated in suitable detached quarters, but the meals must be supplied by the employer in the homestead. Full laundry and bathing facilities, &c., must be made available. All farmers’ applications as to conditions on the far, including accommo- dation, must be certified to by the District Primary Production Councils, and where in the opinion of the Primary Production Council accommodation is unsatisfactory, the farmer’s applica- tion will be declined by the Director of National Service.

DUTIES

1. It is not practicable to specify a full schedule of suitable
   work, and it is expected that employer and member will, in
   each case, co-operate in the matter of deciding the suitability
   for female labour of any work calling for attention.

2. Members shall perform any necessary domestic work in
   connection with their own quarters, clothing, &c., but shall
   not be required to perform any other domestic duties.
   Hereunder is an indication (but not a complete schedule)
   of the farming duties which members may be called upon to
   undertake.
   Sheep-farms.—Mustering, drafting, and droving: general
   tending of stock; tractor and team driving for cultivation and
   feeding-out; milking house cows and washing utensils;
   gardening; tree-planting; hay-making (excluding certain
   heavier stacking operations); painting.
   Dairy-farms. —Collection and dispersal of stock, milking,
   and washing of utensils, &c., feeding calves and pigs (where
   suitable facilities for distribution of food exist without involving
   heavy work), feeding-out; tractor and team driving; harvesting
   (excluding heavier stacking, &c., operations) tree-planting;
   gardening; painting, and miscellaneous light work.

WORKING-HOURS

1. Working-hours are governed by the Agricultural Workers’ Act, 1936, under which there are no fixed hours for dairy and general farm workers, but employers are expected to be reason- able with regard to the hours of work. Famers’ daughters and others employed on farms owned or leased by near relatives are required to be working a minimum of eight hours per day before they qualify for admission to the Service. Provided they are employed on farm work for at least eight hours daily, domestic work in the home may be performed outside these hours.

TRANSPORT

1. Transport to farms shall be at the cost of the employer
   up to thirty miles from the District Man-power Office nearest
   the member’s normal residence or from such residence (which-
   ever be the lesser). Where the distance involved exceeds
   thirty miles the cost of fares will be met by the National Service
   Department.

2. INSURANCE

3. Insurance of each member employed shall be arranged
   by the employer and at his cost; the Workers’ Compensation
   Act shall apply as in the case of males.

HOLIDAYS
(Under Agricultural Workers’ Act, 1936)

1. (1) Dairy-farms: — (a) If employed not less than four weeks continuously, employee to be allowed a holiday of not less than seven days in the aggregate for every twelve weeks of employment, and a holiday for a proportionate part of a week for every broken period of employment: (b) The holiday shall be allowed at such time or times as the employer thinks fit, but so that not less than twenty-eight days in the aggregate shall be allowed during each year of employment, and in the event of termination of employment all holidays to which an employee is entitled shall be paid forthwith: (c) If a worker is allowed a half-holiday from noon for the remainder of the day on one day in each week of employment she is to be granted an additional holiday of not less than fourteen days during each year of employment and a holiday of a proportionate part of a fortnight for every part of a year of employ- ment. A worker may agree to accept leave between milkings on any day during the week in lieu of being allowed a half-holiday. (2) Other Farms and Stations: (Agricultural Workers’ Extension Order 1942). Every worker shall be allowed by employer for each twelve month’s service a total of eighteen days’ holidays to be given at the convenience of the employer, provided that if the period of employment is less than twelve months but more

5.
than three months the worker is entitled during or on
the termination of employment to a proportion of the annual
holidays according to length of service performed.

TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT

1. Farmers and members of the Service must give at least seven days’ notice of intention to terminate employment. This does not mean that a Land Girl may leave the Service merely by giving seven days’ notice, nor may she transfer to another employer at will. She may terminate her present employment, but must first obtain the consent of the District Man-power Officer, or Primary Production Council, or Women’s War Service Auxiliary; these in turn will obtain final approval to new employment from the Director of National Service. The consent of the Director of National Service is required before any girl may resign from the Service, and it is important that his consent be obtained before arrangements are made by a Land Girl regarding future movements or employment.

ASSISTANCE FROM SOLDIERS’ FINANCIAL
ASSISTANCE BOARD

1. The provisions of the above Board have been extended to include the Women’s Land Service, and any woman who as a result of joining the Service is unable to meet her commit- ments may apply to the Soldiers’ Financial Assistance Board for assistance. OCCUPATIONAL RE-ESTABLISHMENT EMERGENCY REGULATIONS
2. Land Service members are covered by the provisions of the above regulations, and any member who leaves her normal employment to join the Land Service will be protected as far as her old job is concerned to the extent these regulations allow. Applicants are advised not to resign from their positions when applying to join the Service, but to request leave of absence only from their employers when a farming position is actually found for them. This leave must be granted by

6.
employers, and by resigning from their employment applicants
may lose the protection of these regulations.

DRESS UNIFORM AND WORKING EQUIPMENT

1. Working equipment will be supplied on placement, while dress equipment will be supplied after one month’s satisfactory service. The following table shows the items supplied:— — Upon Placement. After One Month’s Service. Service uniform . . . . . .
   1 Service Hats— Working . . . .

Dress . . . . . .

2
(1 sou-wester)
. .

. .

2
Overalls, working . . . .
3
. .
Gum boots (if procurable) . .
1 pr.
. .
Leggings, working . . . .
1 pr.
. .
Boots, working . . . .
2 pr.
. .
Shoes, dress . . . .
. .
1 pr.
Stockings, uniform . . . .
. .
2 pr.
Socks, woollen, working . .
3 pr.
. .
Shirts—
Working . . . .
Dress . . . . . .

3
. .

. .
2
Tie, uniform . . . .
. .
1
Gloves, uniform . . . .
. .
1 pr.
Raincoat, oilskin . . . .
1
. .
Topcoat, dress . . . .
. .
1
Jerkin, leather . . . .
1
. .
Clogs (if gum boots not procurable)
1 pr.
. .
UPKEEP ALLOWANCE AND REPLACEMENT OF
EQUIPMENT

1. (i) When a member has completed six months’ farming employment in the Land Service, all working and dress equipment becomes her personal property, but if she resigns prior to the
2. expiry of this six months all equipment must be returned immediately to the National Service Department Equipment Store, 30 Lower Cuba Street, Wellington C. 2. (ii) Upkeep allowance at the rate of 4s. per week will be payable to a working member to provide a fund to purchase replacements of clothes, &c. The allowance will not be paid until the expiry of the first six months’ employment, and at quarterly periods thereafter. The onus is on the Land Girl to make application to the District Man-power Officer for the allowance. The allowance will not be paid if a member leaves the service during the first six-monthly period, nor will it be paid in respect of a subsequent three-monthly period in which she may resign. (iii) The following schedule shows the minimum length of time an article must be on issue before a replacement can be purchased from the National Service Equipment Store at cost price:— Topcoat, oilskin, sou-wester, and leggings Hats, dress and working, beret, two-piece costume, dress shirts, gloves, leather jerkin . . . . . . . . Working overalls, dress shoes, working boots, stockings, working shirts and tie Working socks . . . . . . 18 months.

12 months.

6 months.
1 month.

Replacements may be purchased on application in writing
to the Director, National Service Department, who will advise
the cost.
(iv) Where an issue of clothing, whether free or by sale,
is made to a member by the National Service Department
during the quarters ending 28th February, 31st May, 31st
August, and 30th November, two clothing coupons must be
surrendered for each quarter in which an issue is made. Such
coupons must be surrendered after the first issue in the quarter
is made.

8.
(v) In the event of a member leaving the Land Service she
must return to the National Service Department Equipment
Store all Women’s Land Service badges, buttons, insignia, and
other distinguishing emblems which have been issued, irrespec-
tive of the length of time that she has spent in the Land Service.

STYLE OF WEARING HEADGEAR AND INSIGNIA

1. (a) The beret is to be worn pulled down on the right in the same manner as the W.A.A.F. beret, and the badge pinned over the left eye. (b) The dress hat is to be worn turned up at the left-hand side and fastened by the badge. The crown must be dented in all round. (c) The insignia must be sewn on each arm of the great coat and uniform coat, 1 in. below the shoulder.

TRAVEL CONCESSIONS

1. Travel concessions as under are available to members apart from the ordinary free transport to employment:-- (a) Each member will be granted up to three free second- class travel warrants in each calendar year to visit her home or the home of her next-of-kin by the usual form of public transport other than air travel. Application must be made in writing to the District Man-power Officer, who will issue the necessary transport order, which must be presented to the railway-station, tourist agency or transport company concerned. The member must wear her uniform when travelling. (b) (i) Cash concession fare warrants will be issued to girls who wish to travel by rail or railway road service on journeys other than those covered by paragraph (a) above. The currency of these special tickets will be limited to the period of leave granted by the employer, but in no case will it exceed twenty- eight days. The order is issued only on the condition that the girl is returning to her employer after her holiday.

9.
(ii) Application must be made to the District Man-power
Officer, who will forward a special-fare warrant; on presentation
of the warrant at a railway booking-office a ticket will be issued
at a very reduced cash fare.

(iii) It is a condition of the issue of the fare that the
member be in Land Service uniform. If she has not received
a uniform at the time she wishes to travel, she should make
application to the Director, National Service Department, for
the issue of a special identity-card, which will have currency
for four calendar months from date of issue. The identity-
card will be returned by the member on receipt of her dress
uniform. This identity-card must be produced when travelling
on cash concession fare to the guard of the train or the service-
car driver.

(iv) Tickets at cash concession fares are not available on
the following trains :--
Night “Limited” express trains between Wellington
and Auckland :
Wellington – New Plymouth rail cars. Through Welling-
ton-Wairoa rail cars ; Wellington-Masterton, Wood-
ville, Palmerston North rail cars.

(v) Members of the Land Service will be entitled to apply
to the Armed Forces Railway Transport Officers on railway-
stations for rail and boat reservations.

WELFARE

1. Arrangements have been made for Land Girls to be admitted to most of the clubs for servicemen and servicewomen managed by the Patriotic Councils. The Local Women’s War Service Auxiliary will be in the position to advise girls of the social facilities offering, and on being placed on a farm a Land Girl should immediately contact the Secretary of the Women’s War Service Auxiliary in that district.

10.
There is no need to stress the desirability of members
maintaining a standard of conduct that has already brought the
Land Service high repute. Members, particularly while in
uniform, should comport themselves at all times in such manner
as will reflect their individual pride in the Service.

1. Further information regarding the Land Service, applications forms, &c., may be had by calling at or writing to the Head Office or district offices of the National Service Department, Women’s War Service Auxiliary offices, or by contacting the District Primary Production Councils.

E. V. PAUL, Government Printer, Wellington