MORE TRIALS HELD

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 48, 26 February 1942, Page 8

MORE TRIALS HELD

GROUP EXERCISES IN CITY

More dispersal exercises, on which the success or failure of the dispersal scheme for the central city area will depend, were held today, and there is a list of more again to be required in certain sections of the city by the controlling

warden within the next few days,

The first group exercise in No. 10 area was held at 9.30 under the direction of the District Warden, Mr. W. S. Land, and the Deputy Warden, Mr. E. !A. Hollins, from buildings in Wakefield Street between Taranaki Street and Farish Street. The time taken in evacuating particular buildings naturally varies a good deal according to their nature and the degree of thoroughness of planning and instruction, including posting of wall notices to direct workers, tenants, and callers. Some buildings in the street were emptied within a minute, others took longer, but the whole dispersal area was cleared in nine minutes.

Apart from giving direct instruction to the people dispersed, these trials have great value in bringing out snags and points likely to be overlooked, however carefully the planning is done.

A much more densely populated mid-city area is to go through a full group exercise early next week, going beyond the mere evacuation of buildings and the clearing of the area, for knowledge of the shelter points and the routes to them is just as vital as building evacuation, particularly as exit ways are few, even with the emergency ways now being formed.

This afternoon some of the City Council staffs will exercise to a prepared plan of evacuation and dispersal. COURTS DISPERSE. One of the several trials today was held in the Supreme Court and Magistrate's Court area. When the Magistrate's Court was opened the Court orderly read an announcement directing all present what they were to do. All remained until the warden took charge, and then filed out of the building and made their • way up Bowen Street in the direction [of their dispersal area.

In the Supreme Court, Arbitration Court, and Justice Department similar practices were carried out.