BRITISH DEFENCES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 9, 8 December 1937, Page 9

BRITISH DEFENCES

AIR RAID PRECAUTIONS. LOCAL AUTHORITIES’ DUTIES. IMPORTANT MEASURE. (United Press Association-—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) (British Official Wireless.) Received December 8, 10.53 a.m. RUGBY, Dec. 8. The Air Raid Precautions Bill, as amended in the Committee stage, was considered in the House of Commons to-day, and the Home Secretary (Sir Samuel Hoare) moved a new clause specifically placing upon local authorities the duty to provide the necessary information to enable the Government to prepare plans “for any necessary transference of the civil population in the event of a hostile attack frpm the air.”

The new clause is generally welcomed as placing the powers and duties of authorities beyond doubt. The Home Secretary, replying to the debate, said the essence of the problem of evacuation was the magnitude of it. Though they realised its difficulties, they would do the best to surmount them. The new clause was agreed to. TERRITORIAL FORCES. COMMITTEE OF INQUIRY. (British Official Wireless.) Received December 8, 10.53 a.m. RUGBY, Dec. 7. The personnel of the committee to inquire into the general administration of the Territorial Army has been announced in the House of Commons. The Under-Secretary of War (Lord Strathcona and Mount Royal) will be the chairman and the other members are: Major-General Sir John Brown, Deputy-Dircctor-General of the Terri-, tonal Army; Colonel Viscount Cobham, vice-chairman of the Council of Territorial Army Associations; Colonel Sir Robert Johnson, ‘ Deputy-Master Controller of the Royal Mint; and Mr J. Tt. Wade, of the War Office. The inquiry will cover the organisation and finance of county associations and a simplification of the relations between the War Office and the associations on the one band and the associations and the units on the, other.