TAHUNANUI NEWS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 21 January 1942, Page 2

TAHUNANUI NEWS

MEETING OF TOWN BOARD 1..P.S MATTERS DISC U SSED I SI. OI MOBILE SIREN lln ;i,untiii} .■neeting oi the Tahunanui Town Board. Iv n ,;.st evening, was attended bv M, .- r .\ 11. Chamberlain • chairman;, T. W. Roberts C. P. Palmer, L U Haywood and A. B. Ingram. Messrs J. Logan and T. Hudson were A diseie sion took'place on the efforts of the EPS Committee to impress upon residents of the district the danger of allowing noxious weeds and dry grass to grow in the vicinity of houses and public buildings. It was stated that the gras, should either be burnt off or cut down, and E.P.S. members themselves should be the first to see that this wa, carried out, especially on their own propertic . In the event of an emergency, bombs failing in the dry grasN would immediately set fire to the whole township. Reference was made to the plan of a standard trench, which, if followed by nil householders making their own shelters, would save a great deal of trouble, and perhaps lives, i:i the event of a bombardment It was stated by one member that many of the trenches at present constructed were nothing but death-traps, and that one or two more shovels of earth on top would suffocate the she Here rs The chairman stated that when trial blackouts were hold in the past, the siren sounded at the Aerodrome could not be heard by residents, and even some of the wardens at their posts were unable to hear it He suggested that a mobile siren be used for the next occasion, and the board decided 1o have one erected on a car, and one on the fire-engine. The chairman estimated that the cost would be about £2O. When the question of evacuating women and children from the district in the event of emergency was raised, it. vas sugg v lorries to Annesbrook. where they >uld be picked up by train, and taken -ut into the country. About 800 to 900 people could be evacuated from the danger spots in this way. In Hie area to which they would be taken local farmers and land-owners would be asked to co-operate in helping to feed an J house these people, while the evacuees themselves would be advked to carry two day.-’ provisions with the-,' and also blankets. An enquiry was made by one member concerning the servicing of private cars for use in the event of an emergency It was stated that 40 to 50 vehicles were impressed at present, but that most of these, owing to petroi restriction.-. had been left idle, and would need their batteries recharged. and tyres inflated. Whether or not the board should pay to have these cars recond tioned. was the basis of a long dis- ' Account - passed for pavment amount- /