EMERGENCY PRECAUTIONS

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 13141, 16 September 1940, Page 2

EMERGENCY PRECAUTIONS

FINANCE ALLOCATIONS DISCUSSED BY COUNTY COUNCIL-

WARDENS FOR RIDIXCS

The allocations for financing the Emergency Precautions Scheme were reviewed and discussed by members of the County Council on Friday, when a letter from the Tauranga Emergency Precautions Committee came before them. The letter stated: —■ •‘The organisation of the Emergency Precautions Scheme for the Tauranga district has been finalised, and a copy of the scheme has been forwarded to the Minister of Internal Affairs. “The committee lias now reached a stage where finance is required, and after careful consideration by the various sub-committees it is considered necessary to raise the sum of £ 520, of which £ 350 is required by the Medical and Public Health Committee.

“It is suggested that this latter sum be raised as an additional levy on the local bodies of the district, the Government being asked to subsidise same £ 1 for £l. The allocation of the required £175 will be as milder: — “Tauranga County Council, £llO 45.; Tauranga Borough Council, £4l 10s; Te Puke Borough Council, £lO 14s 4d; Mount Town Board, £ G 5s Bd. “Please advise if your council is prepared to accept the additional levy. “It is proposed to ask the following local bodies to provide the balance of £170:-^-“Tauranga Borough Council, £120; Tauranga County Council, £10; Tauranga Power Board, £2O; Tauranga Harbour Board, £10; Mount Town Board, £lo.’’ A further, letter was also received from the secretary of the Emergency Precautions Committee, Mr J. R. Chambers, reading as follows: “In orgailising the Emergency Precautions Scheme to cover the Tauranga District, it is considered advisable to have wardens in the various ridings, and it would be appreciated if your councillors would act in this capacity with Mr H. Lewis as liaison officer to the general committee. “The wardens would be expected to appoint their own committees to organise in their respective districts and to deal with any emergency that may arise. In due course advice will be required of the constitution of the committees in order that it may be recorded by the Finance and Re-, cords Committee.” General Discussion Referring to the question of finance, the County Clerk, Mr H. Lewis, pointed out that according to information he had received from the secretary of the Precautions Committee, the allocations' had been based according td the Hospital Board grading of levies. It was considered by Cr J. Evans, that the majority of medical supplies would be required m the town area, and in view of that fact he objected to the allocation of £ll6 to the County Council. He also pointed out that the Council had no representation bn the committee through any individual council members. This opinion .was generally supported by the other members of the council, and it was considered by Cr Gunton, that the County Council, Borough Council and Power Board should be rated with equal proportions. It was also fully realised that most of the fund would have to be drawn from those three bodies in view of the fact that the Te Puke Borough Council and the Mount Town Board were not in the same position with regard to finances. After further discussion, during which several opinions as to the amount which should be allocated to the County were voiced, it was moved by Cr Spratt that the County pay one quarter of the amount required, this share not to exceed the sum of £BO. The motion was seconded by Cr Evans and carried. Precautions' Committee Deputation

Following upon the discussion, a deputation comprising the Mayor, Mr L. R. Wilkinson, chairman of the Precautions Committee, and the secretary of the • committee, Mr J. R. Chambers, waited on the Council with a view to hearing, its decision. " Outlining the work already done by the various sub-committees, it was stated by the Mayor that the Tauranga Precautions Scheme had been referred to by the Minister of Internal Affairs as one of the best in the Dominion. Referring to the need for finance, particularly with regard to the purchase of medical supplies, Mr Wilkinson pointed out that it was an absolute necessity that these requirements be purchased in order to have the necessary margin of safety in case of epidemic or other disaster which might arise out of the presentday war conditions. He explained that the material would be allocated to various central points, and in the event of their not being used would be handed to the Hospital Board on the cessation of the war, and the relative amounts subscribed deducted in due course’ from the Hospital levy paid by the various public authorities.

Dealing with the request for the appointment of the County Councillors as wardens to' each riding and the organisation of local committees, the Mayor referred to the growth of the main organisation which had originally been intended for the Borough only. He stressed the necessity for the co-operation of the County Council in this work, with the councillors acting through Mr Lewis as liaison officer to the general committee. Mr Wilkinson also referred to the valuable services rendered to the main organisation by Mr Lewis and Mr Moorhouse, the county engineer. The Mayor’s remarks were endors-

ed by Mr Chambers, who slated (bat the Auckland Precautions Committee had given him guidance in the matter of the allocation of finance. He was of the opinion that the Government £ 1 for £ 1 subsidy would not be available if the allocations were not based on the hospital levy. In regard to the organisation of 'iding committees, he considered that selection of the personnel would best be left in the hands of the individual councillors. Conflicting Organisations 1 The question of other coaflifiiiif .organisations such as the Ik® l ' Guard, was deferred to by Cr Evans, who was of the opinion that at tin* moment there was too much overlapping in the various duties to he usdertaken hy the organisations, w considered that at the moment imposition was one which tended wards confusion instead of clan }■ “On the one hand we recene ■ formation that the military au hoi/■ ies will have supreme control »n u.event of an emergency,” he “and on the other hand we me ■ that the local Emergency Precaudo^ Committee will have that P The sooner this ambiguous PJ 11 is clarified the better it wllj.w all organisations ,j| S t While agreeing with Ci E 'f" B y a certain amount of gCarisen, and fkat macy m jO , tive on more than one oit* Mr Chambers stated that ments had been entered with the various military ho ‘, ff , for the weeding out of suet J^. He said it was possible now after sultation with the railita > ities, for the Precautions C to utilise the services of a■ would be best fitted to the tion and vice versa. . j fl of- “ With such an agreement eration,” said Mr Cham mi • j-.. difficulties are being »rOT®dJ*elvt til the Precautions Commute notification from the ities, we are in supreme {0 Finally the council agieea ft! , operate to any extent it ■ 0$ with the formation of _ Committees the fre officio members of tne h cautions Committee. /.halris* 1, I Mr W. F. Mundt, stated that the counci wool t too pleased to assist in tn the Committee and exP r [he 5 r I council’s gratification j* oo rhoau I vices of Mr Lewis and appredU' I had been of use and weie m ed. , to U- I Mr Mundt then r^er^ tiolls tsj I questions of finance alloc pj mentioned the resolution been moved by Ci - t w -as I by the council. He said Jl h j rkiß | p I question of the Counc I liabilities, but Wlth Jj, the e* I being from rates, and a(J for* I present requirements of r L . j tion and maintenance, [■ tle to spare. . Mayo r f; It was stated by the outlin^t “ i appreciated the situ t jj a t it \|| Mr Mundt and consider a 80 s- | through such decisicms f IJ 1 round amicable settlement i reached* He as sured ‘ c3l #l that the resolution jnp c | ]y considered, and mad i other local authorities on | would be sought.