EMERGENCY SCHEME

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 281, 22 August 1940, Page 6

EMERGENCY SCHEME

Use Of Schools As Centres For Evacuation

BOARD’S APPROVAL

A decision to give wholehearted support to the emergency precautions scheme ami to approve of the use of schools in its district should the need arise was made at yesterday’s meeting of the Wellington Education Board when a letter was remi from the Education Department seeking the co-operation of the board. It was decided to bring the matter under th? notice of school committees. "Some time ago.” stated the deparlment in its letter, "the Government launched a scheme for setting up suitaide organizations to cope with any emergency situation which may arise in any community, whereby ordinary services of the community are for the time being dislocated. The scheme is operative both in petice time and in time of war, as its purpose is to deal with any situation that may arise within the category mentioned, whether it be earthquake, fire, flood or as the result of enemy action. The scheme, of course, is of particular moment uow witli a war on, in that such a state of affairs always gives rise to the possibility of a serious dislocation of the normal services of the community if enemy action in the country brought this about. Schools as Evacuation Points.

"One of the most important meas ures is the selection of points to which people could, if necessity arose, be evacuated. It is considered that the best points for evacuation are the schools throughout the Dominion. If they were regarded as being readily available at any time for evacuation purposes, the emergency precautions organizations which are being set up would have a definite point to which the evacuated peopjo could be sent and from which they could be taken to their temporary homes. ‘‘The Department of Internal Affairs, which is fostering the scheme, Ims asked the Education Department to approach the boards with a view to securing their approval for the use of the schools should an emergency arise. It is understood that the. emergency precautions organizations will, if your board agrees, ask the school committees to associate themselves with the various emergency precautions committees to assist with the precautionary measures. Will you please bring the matter before the notice of the School committees'? The department, feels sure that the proposal will commend itself to yon, and that you will co-operate in making the scheme a success.” ,