An Appeal

Hutt News, Volume 15, Issue 13, 27 August 1941, Page 5

An Appeal

• MEN AND BOYS

WANTED *. URGENTLY

This is an appeal to your patriot ism.

Recent events ■ have brought the danger of war appreciably nearer New Zealand, and there Is urgent need that we should be adequately prepared to protect our own homes from the hell which has overtaken so many cities and towns in the British Isles and all over Europe.

We-cannot do this if we are an unorganised rabble, getting in each other's way, hindering instead ol helping.

The E.P.S. organisation offers a place for every man and boy to fit into a scheme for helping each other.

How would you feel if an air raid were made on Lower Hutt City while ybu were at work, and no one to care for your wife and family when an incendiarj bomb had fallen

on your home? Would you not feel happier if you knew there was an organisation specially trained to care for your interests in such an emergency? Would it not be better still if you were a member of such an organisation? , There is a definite place for every male from fourteen years old to seventy. The E.P.S. is divided up into various units each charged with a separate duty and all linked together by a central executive. Taking the units in alphabetical order, the first is Accommodation which is charged with tHe duty of finding food and shelter for persons whose home 9 have been destroyed.

For the purpose of organisation, Lower Hutt has been divided into six districts or wards, and the Accommodation and other units need a staff to man various posts in these districts. A canvass has been made of the city and the capacity of the various halls to house homeless people assessed. These halls will have to have staffs capable of preparing and distributing food and otherwise caring for homeless people. Staffs will be needed to keep a record of the homeless and to endeavour to find more permanent homes for them in private homes, a list of those prepared io assist having already been taken. Feeble persons and babies will require special attention. Perhaps your special abilities can be utilised in this unit? If so, get in touc,h with Mr. A. M. Hollings, 9 Purifi Street, phone 60-342. The Finance unit is controlled by Mr. B. S. Knox, town clerk, phone 63-695, who needs clerical assistants. The Information unit has a wide range of activities. It is charged with the duty of patrolling the city during emergency periods and reporting to the nearest District Warden injury to persons or property so that help may be sent. It will inform those needing help what to do and will be the link between the public and other units of the E.P.S. It is charged with the duty of find-

ing runners to convey messages, also a staff to keep records, and further with providing entertainment where refugees are grouped and need cheering. A further duty would be supervising Press and radio publicity.

For organisation purposes the city has been divided into 40 sections, each under a section leader, who will each require a patrolling staff and runner boys. So, boys, this is where you shine. This unit will require at least 240 boys—six attached to each section leader. Get in touch with your nearest section leader—you will find his name in the .back of the booklet the organisation is issuing—or else get in touch with Mr. W. B. Nicholson, 55 Pretoria Street, phone 62-824.

This unit needs 120 patrolmen and 240 boys, besides clerks and typists, so get in touch with the controller at the above address.

The unit described as Law and order is< under the direction of Sergeant J. W. McHolm, Lower Hutt Police Station.

You can well visualise the state of disorder which would follow the fall of bombs on a particular locality—streets torn up, burst water and gas mains, traffic disorganised, and the populace distracted. Men with cool heads able to control such a situation will be needed to cordon localities and direct traffic, etc. If you feel you could help in this work pass your name in to Sergeant McHolm.

The Medical units can well do with many additional recruits. Members of this unit will have to man first aid posts, ambulance vans, and hospitals. Men skilled in first aid are required, but not solely; there are hundreds of tasks the average man can undertake to help, this unit, Dr. H. W. Nash, High Street, will gladly take your name and address. The Supply unit is controlled by Mr. C. F. Whiteman, 124 High Street, and is, of course, of the utmost importance. It iB the function of this unit to see that adequate supplies of food, clothing, fuel, and other necessities are available for distribution. The possibility of Lower Hutt - City becoming isolated from' this rest of the Dominion means that adequate stocks must be kept locally, and also that they are kept in places from which they are readily distributable.

Regular channels of distribution of, say, milk, are likely to be disorganised, and the same would apply tj) meat, bread, groceries and greengroceries. Every person handling these products should link up with the supplies unit, which will also need a clerical staff for recording transactions. Apply for regisl- - to Mr. Whiteman.

The Transport unit is controlled by Mr. J. M. Ryan, Hutt Road, and is a most important link, serving as it will all the other units. Evacuees from < bombed houses will need transportation; ambulances will be needed by the medical unit, the supply unit will need transport. The Works unit will call upon Mr. Ryan to supply trucks for the carrying of repair squads and tools. The possibility of* complete evacuation of the city must even be considered. Mr. Ryan needs principally drivers for heavy vehicles and motor mechanics. If you feel you can do a job of work In this unit, get in touch with Mr. Ryan.

The final unit and easily the largest, is that of Works, which needs at least 200 recruits from the ranks of both skilled and unskilled labour. Mr. H. Reynolds Bach, the city engineer, is the controller, but sub-leaders have been appointed for the various branches of street repairs, water, and sewerage, demolition, electricity and gas, fire fighting and others, and without dwelling in detail on the works of these branches, it will be seen that they are of the greatest importance. For instance, with say, a score of fires going M one time, the importance of the flre-flgbting branch under Supt. Hume of the Fire Brigade can be visualised. Of equal importance are all the other branches, whether you are an engineer, a tradesman or a labourer, you can be fitted into one of these. f Every man and boy is eligible for the E.P.S.. If you would rather the organisation allocated you to one of the units just join up and you will be placed where you can serve best.

Women can help by joining the Women's War Service Auxiliary, of which Mrs. J. D. King is president. This organisation' will then fit you into a job in the E.P.S.