EVACUATION SCHEME

Grey River Argus, 19 March 1942, Page 1

EVACUATION SCHEME

PLANS FOR GREY DISTRICT. A meeting to consider questions of evacuation, convened by the Chairman of the Greymouth Accommodation and Evacuation Committee (Mr F. F. Evans), was hold at the Town Hail on Tuesday evening. The Mayor (Mr. F. A. Kitchingham), presided. There was an attendance of 36, including delegates from Totara Flat, Rotomanu, Barrytown, and Haupiri. 1 The Mayor stressed the considered policy of the Government: That per; sons shall stay where they are unth 1 a competent military authority directs evacuation; but that, in the meantime, all coastal E.P.S. should perfect plans for evacuation, and inland E.P.S. should perfect plans for the reception of evacuees, so that the plans can, if necessary, be put into operation at short notice. Mr. Evans said that the area to which the population could be evacuated seemed to be the Grey County, together with that portion of the Inangahua Countv on the Grey side of the Reefton Saddle. This, however, would have to be considered at a later date, in consultation with representatives from Westport and Hokitika. His personal opinion was that the evacuation should be limited to women and children, tne sick, and the infirm —“fit and able-bodied men should be doing their stuff.” In a general discussion, it was stated that the E.P.S. organisations at Gladstone, Paroa, and Camerons had completed plans for evacuation from those districts. The difficulties of evacuation from the Barrytown district were obvious. The Mayors of Runanga and Brunner indicated that those Boroughs would attend to Ihe evacuation of their cwn residents. This involves the allocation of parts of the Grev district, to which residents of Greymouth. Brunner, and Runanga, respectively, would go. A census of ail buildings, public and private, in the Grey County and that portion of tiie Inangahua County on the Grey side of the Reefton Saddle is being taken at the present time. This is to ascertain how many people can be accommodated in each building. A census w.li also be undertaken immed.ately to ascertain the approximate number of people who might require to be evacuated on the basis as fixed by resolution: That the E.P.S. evacuation should be confined to medical and nursing cases, women and children; chronic invalids, and elderly and infirm persons.. Messrs Evans, J. W. Hannan (Grey County), E. W. Kennedy (Runanga), and W. Purdy (Brunney), were appointed a committee to allocate the areas to which the several boroughs should evacuate their residents. This allocation is to be deferred until the census or buildings s completed. The difference between the dispersal of the population during a bombardment, and the evacuation of a considerable portion of the population, was emphasised by the statement that certain districts had mining tunnels or drives, in which people could shelter for a few hours, but which would be unsuitable for them to live in for any length of time'. Resolutions were passed expressing the necessity for the County Council’s ten lorries to be retained in active use, s.o as to be available for evacuation purposes; also for a suppluy of sufficient petrol to Keep private cars mobile.