Proposals For Civil Defence Plan

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30225, 2 September 1963, Page 12

Proposals For Civil Defence Plan

Primary schools were the key points in a civil defence plan for metropolitan Christchurch presented to representatives of the Waimairi, Riccarton, Heathcote, Paparua, Halswell, and Lyttelton councils by the civil defence officer (Mr J. Leggat), at a recent meeting. The plan will be placed before the civil defence executive for Christchurch. Mr Leggat said it was hoped the plan would operate in a large-scale accident or in a disaster affecting onily one part of the area, as well as in the event of serious natural disasters or hostile attack.

The only civil defence instruction to the public under the plan would be to go or send to the nearest primary school if help were needed. Mr Leggat said the civil defence unit was the prim-

ary school district and the centre or headquarters was the State primary school. The unit would change with any school district boundary changes. Each district would be called a sector, and would have a maximum population of between 3500 and 5000 persons. Eight Main Roads Eight roads leading from near the centre of the city to the outskirts would be the chief civil defence routes and be given priority in traffic control and repair. A modern co-educational secondary school with spacious grounds was near the rural end of each of these roads. Six or seven sectors near the roans were grouped into sub areas, for administrative purposes, and the secondary school was the headquarters of each sub-area.

According to plan, the Riccarton sub-area would be served by Riccarton road and Blenheim road, and the sectors would be Ham, Westburn, Riccarton, Avonhead, Gilberthorpe, Sockbum, Hornby, and Wharenui. The Bumside sub-area, served by Fendalton road, would comprise Fendalton, Elmwood, Aorangi, Isleworth. Kendal, and Wairakei. The Papanui sub-area, served by Papanui road and Cranford street, would comprise Waimairi, St. Albans. Paparoa street, Papanui, Bishopdale, Northcote, and Harewood. Mairehau sub-area, served by Marshland road, would comprise Shirley, Banks avenue, Mairehau, Quinns road, Burwood. Briggston, and Glenmoor, and the Aranui sub-area, with Pages road, Aranui, Christchurch East, Richmond, Linwood North, Linwood avenue, Bromley, and Wainoni.

The sub-area of Linwood, served by Ferry road, would comprise Woolston. Phillipstown, Opawa, Waitham. and Bamford; Cashmere, with Colombo street, would comprise Sydenham, Somerfield, Cashmere, Beckenham, St. Martins, and Thorrington, and Hillmorton, served by Lincoln road, comprises Addington, Spreydon, West Spreydon. Hoon Hay and Halswell. In addition, to these, there would be separate sub-areas for Lyttelton Main, Lyttelton South, Sumner, Redciiffs, Heathcote, Mount Pleasant, New Brighton. South New Brighton, North New Brighton, Freeville, and Belfast.