PLANS FOR POSSIBLE EVACUATION

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23589, 17 March 1942, Page 6

PLANS FOR POSSIBLE EVACUATION

♦ E.P.S, ADVICE TO SEASIDE RESIDENTS If an evacuation of coastal suburbs becomes necessary residents will probably be able to take with them as much in the way of personal effects as they can carry. It was explained by E.P.S. officials yesterday that, under arrangements made with the Railway Department for evacuating people from Christchurch, it had been agreed that each person could take up to one hundredweight of goods, but in an evacuation cf the seaside suburbs other forms of transport would be used and only a lesser quantity could be taken. It was suggested that about half a hundredweight would be a reasonable quantity. Mr W. Machin, chairman of the organising executive, expressed the hope yesterday that residents of those areas would take advantage of the E.P.S. trial on Sunday to make plans of action for a possible evacuation. Experience overseas had shown that when people had to leave in a hurry they did some extraordinary things. In one authenticated case a man had taken up valuable space with a marble clock, a fishing rod, and gum boots. People should know in advance what they wanted to take. He did not think they would have to worry about taking ordinary everyday necessaries with them, as the ordinary methods of distribution would be available in reception areas. Many persons were thinking of taking tinned food with them if they had to leave their homes, but he did not think that necessary. He could not conceive anyone going short of food In a country like New Zealand.