Sir Hamish opens Civil Defence H.Q.

Press, 28 March 1987, Page 8

Sir Hamish opens Civil Defence H.Q.

Civil Defence in Christchurch must not be allowed to become a Cinderella, says Sir Hamish

Hay, Mayor of Christchurch and chairman of the Christchurch Combined Districts Committee.

Sir Hamish was speaking at the opening of the new combined Civil Defence headquarters for the Canterbury region and the Christchurch combined districts. The headquarters is on the mezzanine floor of the Manchester Street parking building. The development of the headquarters represented a substantial capital investment, Sir Hamish said. “But it will not be the last money we spend on Civil Defence — it cannot be allowed to become a Cinderella.” Sir Hamish was critical of the meagre subsidy afforded Civil Defence by the Ministry of Civil Defence. The combination of the two Canterbury Civil Defence organisations, the combined Christchurch districts and the Canterbury regional, together in the same headquarters was a step forward. "Christchurch is leading the way in the Civil Defence field.” Sir Hamish said local Government could not stop spending ■ money where it waS needed within Civil Defence because “the public would not thank us If there was a disaster.” ' " .. The Canterbury regional Civil Defence deputy chairman, Mr Bill Thompson, said Canterbury was fortunate to have such an efficient system in the area. It was the start of a new era in Civil Defence, Mr Thompson said. “We are working as one unit now with one headquarters.” The new headquarters include extensive telephone and radio communications equipment, several operations rooms for localised Civil Defence, and liaison rooms for specialist advisers.

There are broadcast facilities for Radio New Zealand, storage space for emergency equipment, and space for the Ministry of Civil Defence.