‘No Standard Plan For Civil Defence’

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30626, 17 December 1964, Page 3

‘No Standard Plan For Civil Defence’

(New Zealand Press Association) ROTORUA, December 16. There seemed to be no standard civil defence plan for New Zealand, the Rotorua County Clerk (Mr N. W. McCormick) said yesterday. Mr McCormick, who attended a civil defence training school, hit out at the Government’s civil defence plans during yesterday’s meeting of the council.

He said the Government had brought in the Civil Defence Act, but was not prepared to finance civil defence. It appeared to have no standard plan for the Dominion. The Government’s attitude was “narking” a lot of civil defence organisers, he said. He said the Raoul Island possible tidal wave warning had “scared the pants off everyone.” If handled properly, people would have known what the warning was worth, he said.

The council had before it a copy of a letter from the Rotorua-Tauno civil defence organiser, Mr J H. Wright, to the Regional Commissioner, Ministry of Civil Defence. In the letter, Mr Wright says one of the biggest problems facing civil defence is the way in which the public

can be informed quickly and efficiently of an impending disaster. At present, there seems to be no universal or satisfactory solution to the problem, Mr Wright says. In his letter, Mr Wright asks. Is the Government prepared to issue powerful warning sirens to local bodies? If, not, does the Government expect local bodies to purchase their own? Has the Government formulated any national warning signals for: (1) An impending attack. (2) A fallout warning. (3) Hurricanes. tornadoes and tidal waves If not. are local bodies expected to produce their own warning signals, for these contingencies.