IF ENEMY ATTACKS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 4 February 1942, Page 3

IF ENEMY ATTACKS

—* — PROTECTION OF THE PEOPLE WELLINGTON ARRANGEMENTS Wellington, This Day. The steps to bo taken to protect the people in the event of enemy attack on Wellington were referred to by the Mayor. Mr T. C. A. Hislop. at a meeting of the City Council. If news of an impending attack came through in the daytime, he said lie would have to decide whether the alarm should bo M iindcd and on principle he would decide that it should be, because it was better to have too long rather than too ;>hort notice. It was suggested that if people were walking in the street when the alarm sounded and they were near an exit point they s|ould follow that exit, route in the general dispersal areas. They should avoid massing. The second direction for people in the street and not near an exit point, was to make for the nearest shelter. Any sort of building would be better than none as c protection against fragments. The next direction was that block wardens, street wardens and the police would direct the people when and how to leave those buildings. Success depended on how the Emergency Precautions Service carried out its functions and how the public responded. If an attack occurred at night the same conditions would prevail. Some of the exits were narrow, and might be blocked if a building came down. Arrangements had therefore been made to secure exits through buildings in some cases. Subject to the general advice to keep an eye on their houses in case of incendiaries, people living on the borders of the town belt, were advised to get on to the belt and scatter. “In addition we are anxious for people to build their own shelter trenches.” added the Mayor. “If they do so they will have that measure of protection. If people are to get shelter they will have to get something done for themselves, because we have not the men to do it. It is a very difficult problem to ensure maximum protection for the people.”—P.A.