EMERGENCY PLANS

Evening Post, Volume C, Issue 40, 17 February 1942, Page 6

EMERGENCY PLANS

THE CIVIC ASPECT

"UNJUST CRITICISM"

A statement issued today, after an executive meeting of the Wellington Ratepayers' Association last . week, when the proposals of the civic authorities for the protection | of life and property in the event of enemy raids were discussed, says that twelve months ago the Mayor readily and voluntarily accepted the task of organising the E.P.S. At the early stages, when the immediate danger seemed remote, the response was disappointing but fortunately the Mayor was not easily daunted and the work went on. Now that the danger was more imminent there were those who criticised i the Mayor because they considered! that protective work should be further | advanced. Such criticism was most i unjust. The Mayor had urged, andj urged again, the necessity for the formation of strong battalions of Home j Guard and E.P.S. Apathy and even! ridicule had stood in his way. For the progress made citizens owed a debt of* gratitude to him and the association felt it an honour to express thanks in a public way. I The statement points out that the! Mayor has long .stressed the value ofj the "slit trench" idea as a simple and | effective home protection measure, but had that been heeded? If not. who was to blame? Not the authorities. READY TO LISTEN. The Mayor had at all times been ready to listen to suggestions. The association itself had waited on him to discuss the possibility of private garages being made aavilable. Many of these were of reinforced concrete and partly concealed in roadside banks. The difficulty of garaging any cars removed to enable these places to shelter worrien and children was not insurmountable; Each would accommodate at least twenty people. Some organisation would be needed and screens would require to be built, and I to this end technical assistance had been promised by the authorities. A voluntary organisation was needed because the larger plans already undertaken would keep all the trained men available fully extended for at least two or three months. The statement refers, too, to the question of evacuatiori of women and children from vulnerable areas at the first sign of danger. The Mayor had stated that the responsibility for largescale evacuation would lie with the Government. The local authorities had not the necessary facilities. If that was the position, the association re-1 spectfully suggested to the Government the wisdom of giving the matter ; early and serious consideration.