COMPULSORY PLAN

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 62, Issue 85, 21 January 1942, Page 3

COMPULSORY PLAN

THE EMERGENCY SERVICES. EXPLANATION BY MINISTER. (P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH. This Day. Explaining the method by which compulsion for service in the Emergency Precautions Services would be introduced, the Minister for National Service (the Horn R. Semple) said in an interview yesterday that the man who did not care, folded his arms aim allowed the other fellow to do the job of protecting the country would not bo allowed to scrounge any longer uu willing souls. ‘‘He will stop into the E.P.S. organisation and step on it—or gi%-e reasons why,” declared Mr Semple. If, say, Christchurch Was short of dllTJmen for E.P.S. work, a warrant would he signed by him calling everybody outside of Army requirements into the E.P.S. organisation, said the Minister. They would be called on to register ;u----the nearest post office, where the declaration forms would be awaiting their signature. Officials of the Fj.P.S. would be empowered to examine all registrants and to ascertain the job for which they wore suited. The men Would ho: given tasks for which they would be most fitted in an emergency*

“No particular section will bo called up—everybody will be called tip. I place on the -people the obligation to serve and the local iEI.P.S. organisation decides whether and when they are to serve.” Shortage of Staffing. In his investigations, said the Minister, lie found a shortage of staffing lor essential public services such as water, sewerage, electricity, and gas. It would bo necessary to have a team of men oar-marked and standing by lor a call at a minute’s notice. If those men were not available, it would moan disaster for the town. He had found that unless, compulsion was used those men would not be ready for - the job. Another question at the moment, and he hoped power would be given, was that of the transference of men from the Home Guard to the E.P.S., and vice versa. Without that power, the organisation could not lie efficient, in his opinion. His task had been to find weaknesses in the organisation and when they were found his duty was to take powers to make it 100 per cent, efficient.