CITY EMERGENCE SCHEME

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23351, 10 June 1941, Page 7

CITY EMERGENCE SCHEME

■ MAYOR CRITICISES GOVERNMENT ‘-lack of Information and DIRECTION” Lack of information and direction from the Government was claimed by the Mayor (Mr E. H. Andrews), in a statement yesterday, to be responsible for what he described as the unsatisfactory state of the city’s emergency precautions scheme. Mr Andrews said he intended immediately to seek the necessary directions from the Government regarding the duties and responsibilities of various committees' working under the scheme. ' Mr Andrews said be had not. had much to do with the scheme before, but since becoming head of the organisation as Mayor he had been struck by the' large number of committees working without co-ordination arid without exact knowledge of what each had to do. “Such a state of affairs is, I think, accounted for by the fact that, .first, we have had no definite instructions frorii the Government, and, second, ■ we; do not know just what powers we have, as distinct frorii the powers of the; military authorities. Should an emergency arise, the military authori- ' ‘ ties "would probably over-ride the' lot of us,-but, there has got to be some understanding. The position at present is far from satisfactory* but in endeavouring to take hold of things I have had many discussions with the people concerned.” Aborit the impressment of vehicles, there was great confusion, said Mr Andrews. After the peed?; of'the military authorities had been met there would presumably be a number for evacuation of civilians, but there had been no direction on that point. “We do not everi know whether evacuation will be required in an emergency,” he added. The committees of the scheme, he went on, had the services of some valu-, able and competent men but they were working in the dark, and he foresaw resignations in the event of definite information about requirements not being forthcoming from the Government. The Mayor of Wellington (Mr T. C. A. Hislop) had recently expressed strong criticism of the Government in its attitude. to this important work. Apparently the position there was similar to that in Christchurch. The position was discussed at a meeting of the executive of the Emergency Precautions Scheme yesterday afternoon, but beyond saying that it had been decided to approach the Government on the lines suggested. Mr Andrews would make no statement on the proceedings. '