E.P.S. TRAINING

Evening Post, Volume CXXXV, Issue 19, 23 January 1943, Page 6

E.P.S. TRAINING

COMPULSORY SYSTEM

DECLARED "CUT AND DRIED"

(P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. "Whatever the Minister •of Civil Defence (Mr. Wilson) or, the Director of E.P.S. Training (Mr. K. L. Usmar) may have said, it will be noted that they do not know that a system of two hours' compulsory training for E.P.S. personnel each week will be introduced," said the secretary of the New Zealand Council of the Royal Life-saving Society, Mr. J. Breward. Mr. Breward explained that the information concerning compulsory training haa come to him as secretary of the council from Mr. Allan Gardner, of Auckland. The letter from Mr Gardner was dated December 21 last. Mr Breward quoted the following extract relating to the training plan: "D. J. F. Langley and I had a few minutes with Mr. Usmar after a conference of E.P.S. heads, to which we were invited. In case you have not already heard of his scheme, here it is briefly: There will be nine compulsory subjects for all E.P.S. members and two hours' compulsory training each week. The third subject is artificial respiration, and the society's methods will be recognised. The Royal Life-saving Society's resuscitation certificate will be recognised in place of training, just as the St. John and Red Cross certificates will be for the first aid requirements. There will be a training-School set up in Wellington to train voluntary instructors- in all subjects" From a letter received by him last September from Mr. Langley it was obvious that the training scheme was cut and dried, and it was known'that Mr. Usmar was going to Wellingtori to take up his official position, said Mr. Breward.