TRIAL BLACKOUT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 62, Issue 9, 22 October 1941, Page 4

TRIAL BLACKOUT.

FIXED FOR NOVEMBER 16. ARRANGEMENT FOR ASHBURTON. A trial black-out over the whole of the Ashburton Borough area, and if possible in the Tintvald township as well, will be carried out between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Sunday, November 16, according to a decision reached at a meeting of E.P.S. Wardens and their assistants and the Local Lighting Controller (Mr H. G. Kemp) last evening. The meeting was presided over by the Chief Warden for Ashburton (Mr E. C. Bathurst). It was stated that advice to householders and instructions as to what would have to be done to comply with the regulations would be given through the newspapers in ample time before the trial. As Tinwald is so close to the Borough it w,as stated that an endeavour would be made to have this area included in the blackout. At present there are no wardens for Tinwald, hut an effort was being made to meet the position in this respect.. It was considered essential that Tinwald, being beside a thickly-populated area, should come under the same blackout conditions. The co-operation of the Auxiliary Police, under the direction of SeniorSergeant J. F. Cleary, and the Traffic Control Section, under Traffic Inspector W. G. Letham, would be forthcoming during the blackout, it was reported. The chairman reported that in the last few days there had been a fairly good response to the appeal for more wardens for the 12 blocks into which the Borough has been divided, and as a result a senior warden had been appointed for each block.

Duties of the Wardens.

Authority was given to the senior wardens to set up Posts at convenient places in their blocks ready for duty on November 16, and from these posts operations will be directed. Members of the Women’s Auxiliary, who will act as messengers for the wardens, will make a tour of the areas in their section to spot places where the blackout it not being properly observed. They will report to the senior wardens, who will send out wardens to advise and instruct householders on how to carry out the regulations and perform their part of the plan. It was emphasised that the wardens engaged in this duty would act only in an advisory capacity in helping the police to carry out the regulations, and that in cases where action was necessary, such as in flagrant breaches of the rules, this would be taken by the police. After the whole question had been thoroughly discussed it was agreed that a meeting for the final instruction of wardens should be held on November 11, when the Lighting Controller and Senior-Sergeant Cleary will outline the. duty of the officers. Mr Kemp will give instruction by demonstrating with lights, and Senior-Sergeant Cleary will speak of the wardens’ relations* with the public and the police. The chairman stated that all that was required to make the trial a success was the co-pevation of the public.