E.P.S. KEY MEN

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 6, 8 January 1942, Page 6

E.P.S. KEY MEN

INTENTION TO APPEAL

ESSENTIAL SERVICE

Intention to lodge appeals on behalf of all members considered vital to the efficient operation of the E.P.S. service in Wellington and who are called up for military training has been announced by the Mayor, Mr. Hislop, as chairman of the Wellington E.P.S. organisation. It is considered that the loss of these men would imperil the proper functioning of the whole service. "The mobilisation order issued this week will have very grave effects on the E.P.S. organisation, and the position arising here will no doubt be in no way different from that in Auckland and other centres," said Mr. Hislop. "Considerable numbers of our essential personnel are within the groups covered by the general call-up order. I am arranging for notifications to be made through the Press asking all members of the E.P.S. who receive call-ing-up notices to inform E.P.S. corps headquarters immediately. We will then be compelled, in order to protect this essential service—namely, the E.P.S.—to appeal on behalf of all those members we regard as vital to our organisation. "We have always been informed that the E.P.S. is second to none-in the important part it occupies in our de-, fence against enemy attack. Indeed, information given us by the highest' authorities is that the danger of air attack is much greater than that of an actual enemy landing. "This being correct, it becomes obvious that the E.P.S. is of first importance and the first to come into operation. It seems a pity, therefore, that the method of securing increased enrolments in the armed defence forces should take no. account of the essential part which must be played by'the E.P.S. In fact, it certainly looks as though the defence efforts lack proper I balance. A lesson could very well be taken from England, where the utmost care is taken not to interfere with essential A.R.P. services."