Civil Defence Scheme Planning Going Ahead

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28984, 27 August 1959, Page 15

Civil Defence Scheme Planning Going Ahead

WELLINGTON. August 26.

(New Zealand Press Association)

The Minister of Civil Defence (Mr Anderton) today said that the civil defence organisation the Government. was planning would be concerned with National emergencies such’ as earthquakes and floods, as well as with the protection of the civilian population in the event of war. Mr Anderton said the Government would, through the Ministry of Civil Defence, control the scheme at a National level.

The country would, for the purpose of co-ordination and control, be divided into four regions—the North and South Islands would each be divided in half —and four regional commissioners who would be officers of the Ministry would be responsible for directing operations in their areas.

Within each region the “nerve and sinew” of the proposed organisation would be provided by local authorities' Civil Defence Corps units, recruited and controlled by the municipalities concerned. The primary role of the rural areas of counties would be as reception areas for evacuees.

The proposed Civil Defence Corps units already existed in principle in the many emergency units which local authorities had set up in recent years.

Outside the metropolitan areas the 17 boroughs with populations of more than 10.000 had almost all instituted schemes. Similar action had been taken by a number of smaller boroughs, and the relevant Government departments and the armed services, as well as

the fire services, had done much emergency planning and organisation.

Mr Anderton said 12 planning committees set up under the Ministry had made considerable progress in the planning of such matters as headquarters organisation, communications. shelter policy. radiation monitoring, wardens, rescue, medical planning including casualty, hospitals and public health aspects, welfare and transport.

Those committees comprised representatives of Government agencies, local authorities and voluntary and other organisations. The results of their work would be progressively promulgated to local authorities and other interested bodies. A pamphlet setting out the broad details of the proposed organisation was at present being printed.