CIVIL DEFENCE DECISIONS

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31658, 19 April 1968, Page 1

CIVIL DEFENCE DECISIONS

Overhaul Of System To Be Undertaken

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, April 18. The Minister of Civil Defence (Mr Seath) made it clear today that there were flaws in the civil defence legislation and faults in the organisation itself which required urgent attention.

He was commenting on criticisms that civil defence measures in some areas of Zealand virtually collapsed last week during the severe storms which swept the country.

Mr Seath agreed at a press conference this morning that situations occurring last week where some local authorities failed to declare local emergencies could happen again if a similar disaster struck the country. However, he expressed the hope that some local authorities would gain from the experience of the last few days and be on the alert earlier. The Minister called the press conference at the conclusion of a meeting with senior officers of the Ministry of Civil Defence which was called urgently to make a full appraisal of the role played by the organisation under the recent storm stress. The meeting bega; at midday yesterday and continued virtually without break until nearly midnight with Mr Seath in the chair for the greater part of the time. New Measures As a result of the meeting, flie following measures wiH be taken: Better administrative arrangements will be made to ensure that any warning of an impending disaster is passed immediately to the Minister of Civil Defence. Any warning so received is to be passed immediately to regional commissioners and local authorities, who will be advised to alert key members in their civil defence organisations. The national communications centre in Broadcasting House and communications centres in regions are to be manned at an early stage and contact made with areas likely to be affected. Local civil defence organisations will be recommended to declare a state of disaster if there is an imminent threat to their district Better arrangements will be instituted to keep the public fully informed.

The Government will be recommended to consider extending its subsidy scheme to encourage more authorities to employ a paid civil defence officer. The wording of the Civil Defence Act with regard to the declaration of a local disaster will be examined to avoid an apparent reluctance to make this declaration in advance of the event The Minister said: “An example of inefficiency in the organisation was quite frankly in the warning system. “I learned that a number of civil defence organisations heard of the possibility of a storm occurring not through the meteorological office but through the Marine Department” he said. Mr Seath said that although the act defined a local disaster there was apparently some reluctance to make a declaration in advance of the event by local authorities. He agreed that the civil defence system failed because there had not been a lead from the capital which could have been followed through on a national basis. However, Mr Seath said: “I think the general situation was quite good; and there were no casualties.” Asked to comment on the call by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Kirk) for his resignation as Minister of Civil Defence, Mr Seath replied: “I would not like to comment. Mr Kirk is entitled to his opinions. I think he may have made his decision on what he thought was the position in Christchurch."

Asked if anyone would be reprimanded because of the inefficiency of the organisation in some areas, Mr Seath said: “That is a long-term thing. We have benefited from the experience of the storms.” Questioned about the civil defence’s role in the Wahine disaster, Mr Seath said the organisation could possibly have been of assistance in the Eastbourne area where many survivors were coming ashore. However, the Wahine disaster was being covered by the police in co-operation with the Union Steam Ship Company, and the Army had sup* plied men to help. Some Weaknesses Mr Seath said the storms gave the civil defence organisation its first real test on a widespread basis, and inevitably some weaknesses became apparent. However, he believed the Civil Defence Act and the principles on which it was based were shown to be fundamentally sound. Mr Seath said the major conclusions of yesterday’s meeting were:— The Civil Defence Act and the principles on which it was based are fundamentally sound. Where the civil defence forces were brought into action in terms of the act the tasks were handled competently. In many cases local authorities were obviously satisfied that the threat did not warrant the declaration of a local disaster. In some cases where, for one reason or another, a local disaster was not declared, units of local civil defence organisations still gave assistance. Mr Seath said the Civil Defence Act would be closely examined and if necessary appropriate amendments would be introduced this year.