E.P.S. SCHEME

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 13 June 1942, Page 2

E.P.S. SCHEME

WAIMEA COUNTY AREA CHAIRMAN'S ANNUAL REPORT ■'Following the compulsory enrolment of all men between the ages of 18 and 65 years in the E.P.S. the County Council appointed a Central Committee to administer, in accordance with the Government regulations, an Emergency Precautions Scheme embracing the whole of the county area,” stated j the annual report of the Waimea County Council chairman (Councillor J. Corder) “Owing to the largo area covered and the distances between the centres of settlement the county was divided into about 18 districts, each district being under the local control of a district warden with a small committee of wardens, each of whom acts as warden in charge of a unit of the precautions scheme. A great deal of energy has been shown by wardens in the different districts in organising to meet any possible emergency and the scheme as a whole is functioning at present as well as circumstances will allow. “If the occasion arises in the future. T have no doubt that the scheme will have reached a state of efficiency enabling each small community to act as a controlled organisation to the considerable benefit of the civilian population and the military forces of the country.” DISTRICT CONTROLLER ADDRESSES COUNCIL The Mayor of Nelson, Mr E. R. Neale, who has been appeinted district controller for the E.P.S.. attended yesterday’s meeting of the Council on his return from a South Island District Controllers’ meeting at Christchurch. Mr Neale said he had found that all controllers were experiencing difficulties similar to those confronted in Nelson in organising the E.P.S. However, things were now being straightened out from the tangle of the last seven or eight months. His job as District Controller was to co-ordinate the work of the E.P.S. in the Nelson and Marlborough districts from Kaikoura to Collingwood. The suggestion had been made to form what would be a metropolitan group to work together, such area to include Nelson, Tahunanui, Stoke and Richmond. Likewise districts with common interests such as the Motueka, Riwaka and Lower Moutere areas would be combined into one group. It had been stressed that any evacuation of the people would take place only as a last possible resort and only on the instruction of the Army authorities. Co-ordination between the Government and civil E.P.S. was also considered essential Any order for the destruction of buildings or plant under a scorched earth policy would only be carried out under written authority of the Army. The Christchurch conference had given consideration to the protection of local vital points and it had agreed that every man possible should be released for Home Guard duty, but the E.P.S. had the right to appeal for the services of key men in its organisation. The County Engineer (Mr W. Bullivant) asked if the Army would be taking all the first aid people into the Home Guard and if, in the case of an emergency the Army would provide for the transference of its own wounded to the hospitals from the casualty clearing stations. He pointed out that the County E.P.S. wanted the men now carrying out important first aid instruction in the country districts kept in the E.P.S. if possible. The Controller said he would make enquiries into the points mentioned by Mr Bullivant. Councillor L. A. Higgins said that if the first aid instructors in the country districts went into the Home Guard that valuable work would cease. The Controller said that he would be of greater assistance to the Council when he had had the opportunity of visiting various places in the district.