COST OF CIVIL DEFENCE

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29004, 18 September 1959, Page 10

COST OF CIVIL DEFENCE

Council Asks For Policy Statement (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, Sept. 17. The Wellington City Council is to ask the Municipal Association ,to impress on the Government the need for an early pronouncement on financial assistance to local authorities so that the Government’s civil defence proposals can be implemented without further impost on the ratepayers. This was decided by the council after a report prepared by the Town Clerk (Mr M. S. Duckworth) had been considered. The Mayor (Mr F. J. Kitts, M.P.) said that from the information available in the pamphlet issued by the Minister of Civil Defence (Mr Anderton) local authorities would be expected to bear the whole financial responsibility for the setting up and maintenance of the local civil defence organisations. No reference was made in the proposals for indemnifying local authorities against liability for injury to personnel. No indication had yet been given by the Government regarding the possibility of any financial assistance to local authorities as a result of the findings of the Royal Commission on Local Authority Finance.

Unless some assistance was forthcoming it did not appear practicable for local authorities to establish efficient civil defence organisations without some form of Government subsidy.