A.R.P. WORK

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23753, 26 September 1942, Page 7

A.R.P. WORK

ADVICE BY ENGLISH EXPERT

Valuable advice to air raid wardens was given last evening by Mr C. W. Hamann, Deputy-Chief Engineer. British Ministry of Home Security, who is on a visit to New Zealand as an adviser to the New Zealand Government on technical problems of defence. ‘ Mr Hamann, whose lecture was illustrated by lantern slides, said in New Zealand there appeared to be a great need for self-help. The fluctuating manpower had its difficulties, but because of this there was no need for panic in an emergency and still less need for spoon-feeding. There had been far too much talk of panic in New Zealand. In England there was no panic even in the heaviest raids. In dealing with the E.P.S. trials in New Zealand, he said some ideas seemed to be too ambitious, and nothing would be learned if the object was to give all workers nice pleasant jobs. In the case of a bombardment, the main object should be to give maximum assistance to the Army, and a total war could only be met by a total resistance. The all-is-well tendency might be all right so long as things were going well; but a sense of proportion was needed. There was an air of complacency that did not promise well, and a feeling that Britain “can take it.’’ Mr Hamann impressed on his listeners the need for preparedness, and in illustrations he described different types of bombs used by thf raiders, and the effects they had oh buildings of different types.