EMERGENCY ORGANISATION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 144, 20 May 1939, Page 8

EMERGENCY ORGANISATION.

APPEAL FOR INFORMATION. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, May 19. The contention that the public was awaiting a definite lead from the Government about what would be required of it in the event of a national emergency was made by Mr C. S. Falconer, director of organisation for the Order of St. John, in an interview. He appealed to the Minister of Internal Affairs to acquaint the people of the emergency precautions scheme so that each individual would know what his duties were if and when a disaster such as an earthquake occurred. Mr Falconer said that after the Hawke’s Bay earthquake in 1931 the Government and the municipal authorities drew up an emergency scheme which could he put into operation after a natural disaster arising from earthquake, fire or epidemic, and which might apply in the event of an air raid. A Wellington citizens 7 committee had published a brochure outlining the organisation and had collected data for use by various committees. Those committees were concerned with supplies, transportation, medical and public health, law. and order, public utilities, communications, works and water, fire, accommodation and evacuation, finance and records, and publicity and information. Subsequently the emergency precautions committee of the New Zealand Organisation for National Security drew up a Dominion emergency oreeautions scheme, based on the Wellington nronosals. Copies were sent hv the Minister of Internal Affairs to the Mayors of the principal towns in the Dominion, but the public had not been taken in+o the confidence of the authorities Recently the Movers of several cities had conferred with the organisations set up under the scheme, but. though the proposals were most satisfactory on nnner and a credit to thoso who compiled them, no actual demonstration had been attempted. There was an urgent necessity for that to be done. Tt was imperative. . added Mr Falconer, that tho'C who had been allocated dories under the spliem “ should have a t’dl nod proner hnowled"e nf their obligations. Though the Minister of Internal .Affairs find nsl-od tlie Mnvnrs for suggestions, he had given no final instructions about his proposals.