RESIGNATIONS IN E.P.S.

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23806, 27 November 1942, Page 4

RESIGNATIONS IN E.P.S.

COMMITTEE CARRYING ON FOR TIME RESULT OF “FLANK ATTACK ” Although the four members of the organising committee of the Metropolitan E.P.S. would not agree to withdraw their when asked to do so by the central committee yesterday, even for a term of three months, they consented to continue in office until the proposal to reconstitute the central committee had been dealt with. The chairman of the organising committee (Mr W. Machin) described the proposed reconstitution of the central committee, discussed by the Suburban Local Bodies’ Association with the Minister of Civil Defence (the Hon. D. Wilson), as a flank attack. He said his committee would agree to hold the fort until that trouble was settled, but would not tie themselves down to a definite period. The Mayor (Mr E. H. Andrews), .who presided, read to the central committee a letter he had received on November 17 from the organising committee. He had held it up until the central committee could be called together. In the letter the organising committee stated: “We are still sure that we dare not, with unquestioning obedience, subordinate the large responsibilities resting upon us to channels of communication having what the Minister calls ‘wide military knowledge and experience and thorough understanding of the emergency precautions,’ from which we are expected to take orders, without opportunities for full discussion and consideration, for which we have frequently asked. Our correspondence and interviews for some months past have frequently reiterated this reasonable request, reasonable, we •thinly on its merits, but surely having some weight when coming from those responsible for organising the civil defence of *the most populous centre in the South Island. Regretfully, therefore, we can now only say that our resignations must stand.” Appeal to Committee Mr E. Smith moved that the resignations be not accepted. They had confidence in the committee and were proud to work under the committee. They should not allow the committee to be pushed out. It was recognised throughout the metropolitan area how valuable the work of the organising committee had been, said Mr H. S. S, Kyle, M.P. Before it was appointed conditions were chaotic. He was sorry the Minister had not been able to come to an amicable settlement with the committee. However, he believed the differences with the Regional Commissioner (Colonel’ W. T. Churchward) could be ironed out. No one could know as well as he did the value of the work of the organising committee, said the Mayor. He appealed to the members to carry on, which was the desire of the people of Christchurch. “If the committee retires I don’t know where we are going to get four men capable of doing the work, and, if we could find four such men, it would be months before they could gather up the threads,” the Mayor added. Mr A. M. Hollander asked whether there was not still a chance to have a discussion among a small number including the Mayor, the Minister, and the Regional Commissioner, and get a better definition of responsibilities. That might go a long way toward solving their problems. M p F. W. White said the question of representation on the central committee and other difficulties clouded the issue. He appealed to the organising committee to remain in office for at least another three months so that the other questions could be disposed of. Replying to an appeal made to the organising committee to remain in office for three months, Mr Machin said he and his colleagues (Messrs M. E. Lyons, W. H. E. Flint, and W. S. MacGibbon) considered they should not leave the ship .while a flank attack was being made on the central committee, which was the very basis of the E.P.S. The committee would therefore stand by, but without in any way receding from its stand. It was not a-question of pin pricks and irritation, but of a fundamental chasm. Expressing his thanks to the organising committee, the Mayor said he hoped the E.P.S. would be back on an even keel within a few weeks. POLITICS AND E.P.S. CENTRAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS DENY SUGGESTION The suggestion of Mr J. E. Jones that "invisible politics” played a part in discussions concerning the suggested reconstitution of the Metropolitan E.P.S. central committee and the resignation of the organising committee were denied by controllers and other speakers at a meeting bf the central committee yesterday. When the resignations of the four members of the organising committee, came before the meeting Mr Jones' said that, unlike other members, hj« was prepared to accept the resigna-' tions, because there was no represen-j tative of the Labour movement on the organising committee. A lot of the discussion at the meeting had been nothing but invisible politics. Mr M. E. Lyons: You could see politics in the moon. Mr Jones said he would be the first to admit that the committee had done valuable work, but it could have done better if it had represented every shade of opinion. Mr C. D. W. L. Sheppard pointed out that the organising committee was appointed by the central committee to do a job and was not set up to be a representative body. Mr F. W. White said that looking round the room he could not see anything to support Mr Jones’s statements. Most of them had no connexion with politics. Mr H. S. S. Kyle: We’re all independents.