RAID PRECAUTIONS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20619, 21 November 1941, Page 7

RAID PRECAUTIONS

RISK OF ATTACK MEASURES JUSTIFIED PREMIER’S STATEMENT (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, this day. “The precautionary measures being taken by the Emergency Precautions Services Organisations under the authority of the emergency reserve qorps regulations, have the full concurrence of the Government and are the result of recommendations to the War Cabinet by the Government’s advisers, and the Chiefs of Staffs,” said the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, to-day, replying to tire oftasked question: “Is there real justification for partial black-outs and staging trial total black-outs in this country which is so far removed from the theatres of war.”

Mr. Fraser said that full opportunity was accorded recently to the Mayors of the four principal cities, Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin and also the chairman of the Municipal Associations and the representative of the Counties’ Association at a conference in Wellington which was also attended by the Ministers connected with defence, members of the War Cabinet, the Chiefs of Staff and himself when a general agreement was reached on lighting precautions. Restricted Lighting; Necessary

It was agreed that it was the bounden duty of the Government to adopt any measures that would make more difficult any attack on New Zealand by an enemy raider. It was established that unrestricted lighting could be of material assistance to the navigation of an enemy ship and the steps taken will materially reduce that risk.

“So far as the nature and degree of the attack which can be anticipated in this country are concerned, the people of the Dominion can be assured that the matter is under constant review. To that end preparations may be changed in accordance with any changes in the war situation overseas. As the position stands today, the nature of an attack which is most likely is that of a “hit-and-run” raid by an enemy raider, the bombing of ports from the sea and, possibly, with a plane or planes attacking from the air.

“It may be, of course, that in view of the distance of this country from any enemy base, such an attack would be neither severe nor prolonged, but that if adequate precautions are not taken the result might be very serious, particularly in the loss of shipping and shipping facilities and of buildings generally. It is well known that a plane used by a raider could carry a large load of incendiary bombs and, if measures are not taken to control the resultant fires in their incipient stage, the loss of property can well be .imagined. Property-Owners’ Obligations

“Consequently, under the recent regulations property owners in vulnerable areas will be required to equip their buildings with first aid and fire fighting appliances, such as bucket pumps and sand rakes and shovels, and the occupiers and employees in such buildings will be required to act as fire guards, capable of handling the equipment. “The General Staff is definitely of the opinion that the construction of air-raid shelters at present is not warranted in view of the probable scale of the air attack. As I have already stated the War Cabinet has the war situation continuously under review and if any change that occurs appears to the Government to warrant action being taken in connection with the erection of shelters, such action will be taken immediately. Both the Government and Emergency Precautions Services in the more important centres have been preparing plans and obtaining the necessary information with regard to alternate means of shelter from blast and flying splinters. Architects and other experts have been carrying out these surveys and the reports are being furnished to the Government. This question is being kept under constant review, and further definite action will be taken by the Government wherever the war situation demands it.”