"IT REALLY MEANS CONSCRIPTION "

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23537, 15 January 1942, Page 4

"IT REALLY MEANS CONSCRIPTION "

* COMPULSORY DUTY IN E.P.S. “It really means conscription," said the Mayor (Mr E. H. Andrews) referring yesterday to the Government’s intention to bring down regulations for compulsory emergency precautions duty. Mr Andrews said that this was one •of the subjects discussed in Wellington on Tuesday at the conference of the mayors and town clerks of the four main cities, which was attended by the Director of National Service (Mr J. S. Hunter). “It was generally recognised that something had to be done in that respect,’’ he said. Detailed proposals for the organisation of a fire-watching service were drafted by the conference. These, with financial recommendations on the provision of air-raid shelters, and on the provision of petrol for the Emergency Precautions Services, would be submitted to the War Cabinet, the Mayor said. REGULATIONS BEING PREPARED MINISTER’S STATEMENT (P.A.) WAIROA, January 14. Regulations are being prepared to provide for compulsory emergency precaution duty on the part of everybody, and will shortly be gazetted, announced the Minister for National Service (the Hon. R. Semple) in an address to members of the Wairoa Emergency Precautions Services at Wairoa last night. , Mr Semple said he hated the word compulsion,’’ but the time had come when everybody must pull his weight. The position was extremely serious, and the slacker would have to be put m his place.