Civil Defence Plan For Christchurch. Criticised

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30342, 18 January 1964, Page 17

Civil Defence Plan For Christchurch. Criticised

The Christchurch civil defence scheme in its present form is incredibly complicated, and provides only about one-fifth of what a properly constituted civil defence scheme could and should offer, says Lieutenant-Colonel A. C. R. Elderton (rtd.), of Christchurch. Colonel Elderton, former senior civil defence officer to the Ministry of Supply, England, criticises Christchurch’s scheme in a circular letter sent to the mayors of Christchurch, Riccarton, and Lyttelton, the chairtnen of the Heathcote, Waimairi, Halswell and Paparua counties, and the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr Sea th). His letter says the scheme relies on organisations which in most cases are unwilling, incapable, and unsuitable for their roles, and “leaves out the public, who are the people concerned.” "The Christchurch scheme, to be implemented, relies on various organisations accept-

ing connected responsibilities and duties,” he says. “It has come to my notice that one large organisation has been put down for various responsibilities which it has not accepted, and about which, in most cases, it knew nothing until being given a copy of the scheme.

“I suggest therefore you withhold approval until each organisation concerned issues a certificate stating that it accepts the responsibilities laid down and that it thoroughly understands the responsibilities and all its implications. “There could well be more than one organisation being led up the garden path, in order to have on paper a scheme which can only partially work in practice, and which is the brain child of people who have no practice 1 knowledge whatever of civil defence. I would add that this scheme has no similarity whatever with civil defence in other countries, where civil defence has been learnt the hard way, and has to be practical and realistic. “Approval should be denied until a proper warden system can be inaugurated, without which no civil defence scheme can possibly function. For example, in the scheme, reports of damage are to be provided by city engineers flying over Christchurch in aircraft. How can this method provide adequate information, as an example, that 50 persons have been trapped in the basement of the Ministry of Works in Hereford street, and that an invalid requires help in her collapsed house in Avonside drive? “There is, however, one major redeeming feature,” Colonel Elderton says. “Christchurch in its hundredodd years has not suffered a major earthquake and is not a target for nuclear attack. The scheme is therefore not likely to be implemented.” Co-operation The function of the executive was to prepare a plan to be operated in an emergency by members of various local bodies in association with services such as the police, said Cr. H. P. Smith, the Deputy-Mayor and chairman of the civil defence committee’s executive. There had been willing cooperation from all bodies approached, he said. The scheme, which was not yet complete, had the approval of the Regional Commissioner for the South Island (Brigadier J. T. Burrows), whose

qualifies tiins he was sure Colonel Elderton would acknowledge. The executive’s aim had been to make the scheme simple, with a minimum of disturbance to the community in the meantime, but to provide a convenient emergency plan capable of being put into action and administered simply. He believed these requirements had been met, Cr. Smith added.