SCHOOL SHELTERS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 69, 22 March 1941, Page 13

SCHOOL SHELTERS

EMERGENCY PLANS. I EVACUATION POSITION. | (0.C.) NAPIER, this day. | "It is not altogether a matter of what we must cx]>ect, but rather of what we must prepare against,"' said Mr. (>. A. Maddison, chairman of the Hawke's Bay l-'ilucation Board during a discussion on measures being formulated for the control and protection of school children under the Emergency Precautions Scheme. The board had before it advice from the Education Department that plans were being completed for suitable shelters if they were required, and intimation that Che Government did not 1 favour the evacuation of school children from any coastal communities other than as part of a general evacuation. The need for preventing children from acquiring any feeling of fear or terror was stressed by -Mr. Maddisou. "It. is essential to keep them away from the war and its atmosphere as much as possible," he said. "1 have heard, for instance, that, children in one school have been trained in climbing tree-; quickly for safety. That sort of thing has got to be scotched immediately." Mr. Maddison also emphasised the need for children in all part* of the country to be taught obedience to the military authorities in the event of an emergency. The board after a discussion on the numerous measures decided to take up with the Government a proposal that health talks should be arranged dealing especially with the prevention of epidemic conditions.