METROPOLITAN E.P.S. COMMITTEE

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23915, 6 April 1943, Page 3

METROPOLITAN E.P.S. COMMITTEE

NEW CONSTITUTION

The proposed reconstitution of the Christchurch Metropolitan E.P.S. central committee was approved by the City Council last evening. Under this scheme the committee will consist of the six first-line unit controllers, nine representatives of the City Council, and one representative each from each of the suburban local bodies, the Federation of Labou.', the Women’s War Service Auxiliary, and the Employers’ Association. The council approved of the principle of the appointment of a paid executive officer for the E.P.S. The following City Council representatives were appointed;:—Ors. M. E. Lyons, C. D. Sheppard, G. Manning, M. Kershaw, J. S. Barnett, H. P. Donald, and R. G. Brown, Mr E. Hitchcock (lighting controller), and Mr H. S. Feast (secretary). The Mayor (Mr E. H. Andrews) said the proposal, formulated at a local body conference, met the wishes of the suburban local bodies. Miss M. B, Howard, M.P.. represented the Women’s War Service Auxiliary, and Mr J. E. Jones the Federation of Labour, so that the only outside member to be elected was a representative of the Employers’ Association. Cr. G. Manning said the City Council representatives had declined to agree to a recommendation for the appointment of a paid organiser until it had been referred to the council. He thought the proposals would make for that unity in the E.P.S. scheme which had been lacking in the past. Cr. C. D. Sheppard said Riccarton had not discussed the appointment of a paid organiser, and the Mayor of Riccarton (Mr H, S. S. Kyle) was opposed to it. The Mayor said he was “rather favourable’’ to the appointment of a paid organiser. It was impossible for him to do all the organising work in addition to his other civic duties, and he had asked the central committee to appoint men to assist him with details. Because the names of certain men who were on the old organising committee were mentioned it did not seem possible to get his idea into the heads of some of those on the central committee, and the question was deferred. At first he had been against the idea of a paid man in a voluntary organisation, but he now leant to the view that in these big undertakings it was better to have a paid man who could be given instructions. Christchurch was the only city or town of any size without a paid officer. Cr. Sheppard said he was glad the City Council was at last discussing the E.P.S.. of which some councillors had in the past admitted their ignorance. He said the old organising committee had done excellent work and he thought another one could do the same. He was not satisfied that a paid organiser was necessary.