IN EMERGENCY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 40, 15 August 1942, Page 6

IN EMERGENCY

. o RESERVE SUPPLIES REGIONAL CONTROL The provisions made for reserve supplies of food and other necessaries in the Dominion and the procedure that would be followed in the event of an emergency were discussed today by the Minister of Civil Defence (Mr. Bodkin). After outlining what has been done, the Minister emphasised the importance of people acting on the principle of self-help from their own resources within reasonable bounds. If the evacuation of any district were necessary, he added, evacuees would be expected to carry from their homes as much food and other necessary materials as transport would permit. ; ;.■ ■ v ■•■ ■■ Many months ago, said Mr. Bodkin, the question of supplies of food and other necessaries during emergencies received attention from the National Service Department, and instructions for local E.P.S. organisations were set out in a handbook. Since then, the matter had been kept under review in accordance with changing conditions. A circular issued recently to secretaries of emergency precautions services gave a full description of the procedure and guidance for members of units concerned. The Minister remarked that through the Minister of Suppfy and Munitions the Food Controller established bulk supplies of foodstuffs last year at a number of pMces throughout the Dominion, and these would'be available in an emergency for the immediate.needs of the areas affected directly or indirectly by enemy action. Those reserves were held by the Government in conjunction with the New Zealand Wholesale Merchants' Federation and would normally be distributed through merchants m the ordinary way, but not without the prior consent of the Food Controller. In an ordinary emergency (for example, one caused by a limited hit-and-run raid) the practice of "business as usual" would be' followed. If supplies could not be obtained through normal channels, stocks could be obtained through the Food Controller from the Government's .reserves. In a serious or extreme emergency, the distribution might have to be taken over by the E.P.S., to whom any necessary supplies would be made available by, the Food Controller. CONVERGING OF SUPPLIES. One of the important advantages of having those supplies under Government control was that their: dispositions had been arranged on a plan to permit supplies to be converged on an affected area from several points if necessary. In each of the four main centres regional supply controllers had been appointed. In an emergency these officers would represent, in the matter of bulk supplies, not only the Dominion and deputy Dominion controllers of supply, but also the supply controllers of foodstuffs, hospital, and first-aid needs, essential building materials, and coal. The regional supply controllers would.act in the closest co-operation with the E.P.S. in their districts, and during an actual emergency they would be available to give advice in regard to distribution"; of 'bulk supplies", and to deal with requisitions. Iri Tan actual emergency, the controller of supply ' committee of an E.P.S. could'be empowered to requisition retail supplies':of goods required by the E.P.S. for. victualling E.P.S. workers or for meeting the needs of the local community. It would be also competent for such, a controller of supply to: control shops arid to-ration supplies and \to requisition buildings for E.P.S. purposes. ' ' REFUNDS FROM WAR EXPENSES ACCOUNT. The Government had decided that the net expenditure incurred by Emergency Precautions Ser vices under conditions of war emergency in the provision of food, clothing, accommodation, and other costs relating to, the civil population would be refunded in full from the War Expenses Account. The Rationuig Controller had agreed that during a declared emergency E.P.S. requirements of rationed goods could be obtained coupon-free, provided that they were ordered on the official order fornv signed by an E.P.S. officer wtih the necesary authority. " "These preparations for emergencies," Concluded the Minister, 'show that': it-is riot : necessary "for local E.P.S. to establish reserve supplies of foodstuffs. Indeed, a permit for such action could easily lead to confusion and waste." . ...