BOMB DISPOSAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24277, 19 May 1942, Page 2

BOMB DISPOSAL

NEW UNIT FOKMED SELECTED VOLUNTEERS SPECIAL COURSE OF TRAINING (P.A.) WELLINGTON. Monday Tho Army Bomb Disposal Group, which will deal with all enemy unexploded or delayed-action aerial bombs and unexploded anti-aircraft shells, has been formed in New Zealand, said the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, to-day. Officers and non-commissioned officers from various parts of New Zealand are at present undergoing a special course of instruction under an instructor recently returned from abroad, where he received training in this highly-specialised work. "Though much of the work of the group must remain secret," said the Minister, "the public should be familiar with the general field of operations, so that should the necessity arise they will co-operate with the bomb disposal personnel by quickly evacuating dangerous areas when so instructed while those areas are being made safe and by reporting aerial bombs or unexploded anti-aircraft shells. "Tho group will be recognised by a special badge worn on the cuff of the right sleeve, consisting of a flaming bomb on a blue-bordered background. This badge will give the wearers the right to enter all prohibited areas without question or delay. Distinctive markings are also provided for bomb disposal group vehicles, which may be recognised by tho large red flags they will display. These vehicles should be regarded by the public in much the same light as a fire engine and should always be given the right-of-way. "The personnel of the unit," added the Minister, "consists of selected volunteers, the majority being chemists, physicists, engineers, electricians and tunnellers. The training course is impressively practical and at the moment they are training with actual live aerial bombs. "The members of the Bomb Diip©sal Group, in voluntarily undertaking this hazardous work, are rendering a vital service to the Dominion."

REMARKABLE EXPLOIT AIR CRASH SEARCHERS GREAT ENDURANCE SHOWN (P.A.) NELSON, Monday A remarkable exploit, in which they had to contend with adverse weather, exceedingly rough, mountainous country, flooded rivers, hunger and cold, was completed by the return to Nelson last evening of the police party with the bodies of the victims of the Lockheed air-iiner crash on Mount Richmond. A warm tribute was paid to the men who carried through this magnificent task by Sergeant Matthews, who was in charge of the party. "These men went over the most difficult country you could find," he said. "There were steep, precipitous cliffs, rugged rock country and big boulders, and for miles they had to cut their way through bush to make a track to carry the bodies through. It was an almost impossible task to bring tho bodies down that mountain, but the police and members of the Army stuck to it like heroes. I consider those soldiers, who are only young men, showed their training, grit and courage." Sergeant Matthews said he stayed below at the camps and organised affairs as best he could. It was an anxious time with his men up on the mountain with no blankets and little food. They were wet to the waist all day on Saturday, but kept at it gamely. NAPIER-GISBORNE LINE SPEEDING UP OF WORK (0.C.) GISBORNE, Monday Work on the Napier-Gisborne railway will be speeded up with a view to its early completion. This is indicated in a letter received to-day from the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. H. T. Armstrong, by Mr. D. W. Coleman, M.P. "1 have directed that, in order to speed up the completion of the Gis-borne-Waikokopu railway, a six-day week of 48 hours is to be worked from an early date to be fixed by the district engineer after consulting with the New Zealand Workers' Union." said the Minister in his letter. "It will continue to be an ordinary Public Works job. Prior to Japan's entry into the war, it was expected that the line would be ready for traffic in July, but since then the gangs were reduced to enable defence works to proceed at the quickest possible speed. The main work on hand now is the completion of a bridge in the Tikiwhata area and the connect-ing-up of about a mile and a-half of track, in addition to a considerable amount of ballasting." EMERGENCY PLANS MAINTAINING ELECTRICITY "Practically every form of war industry is dependent on electric power." J stated the Dominion Controller of the ! Electricity Supply, E.P.S., in a letter read at yesterday's meeting of the Waitemata Electric-Power Board. Describing steps taken, the local controller, Mr. A. Main, who is also the manager' of the Waitemata ElectricPower Board, said that for several months the E.P.S. personnel at each of the electric-power depots had spent one Sunday a month in going round the whole area, familiarising themselves with the system. The staff on the North Shore could therefore go into the Henderson area, and vice versa, and could confidently carry out switching operations to clear damaged portions of the system and restore supply to essential consumers. At Warkworth the staff was similarly trained. The organisation provides for the repair and replacement of damaged plant and equipment and the restoration of essential supplies with the minimum delay. * DAMAGE BY CHILDREN (0.C.) HAMILTON, Monday The damage done by children in shops was discussed at a meeting of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce today, when reference was made to a case in which the parents of a child were held to be not responsible for a broken article. It was decided to ask the Government to amend the law with respect to such cases. ARMY TRUCKS ON ROADS (0.C.) "WELLINGTON, Monday The wear and tear due to Army trucks on county roads is seriously concerning the Hutt County Council. It cost the county a considerable sum last year, and it was stated at a meeting of the council that the position was likely to get worse. Heavy Army transport was using roads never intended for such traffic. It was decided that the council, together with representatives of the Farmers' Union, should wait on the Prime Minister, the lit. Hon. P. Fraser, with a view to obtaining some financial assistance, it not being considered fair that the ratepayers should be saddled with the whole burden.