PROTECTION OF CIVIL POPULATION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 18 January 1939, Page 8

PROTECTION OF CIVIL POPULATION

NEED FOR IMPROVED PROVISION CITY COUNCIL’S VIEWS I United Press Association! INVERCARGILL, 17th January. The need for improved provision for home defence was emphasised at a meeting oi tlie Invercargill City Council tonight when it w r as decided to draw the attention of the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, to the necessity for the provision for civil evacuation of all centres in any emergency and the establishment of properly-trained and equipped mobile internal forces in each district capable of resisting any attempt by an invading force to control the civil population. On the motion, of Mr E. J. McLachlan the following resolution was adopted: “While this council recognises that much has ben clone by the present Government to improve the defence of the Dominion, it appears that, apart from an increase in defences calculated to repel any invader, more adequate steps are required for the protection of the civil population. Therefore this council respectfully draws the. attention of the Minister of Defence to the necessity for (a) provision for civil evacuation of all centres in any emergency ; (b) establishment of properlytrained and equipped mobile internal forces situated in each district capable of resisting any attempt by any invading force to control the civil population. To establish such forces it is necessary to make available in each centre more adequate supplies of small arms, machineguns and similar mobile defensive equipment and to take more definite steps to ensure training in the use of such equipment of all men and youths of suitable :ise. Should sufficient recruits not be forthcoming as means for their training and equipment are made available, this council asks that the Government introduce compulsory or national training.”