EMERGENCY PRECAUTIONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24826, 28 January 1942, Page 4

EMERGENCY PRECAUTIONS

EXPENDITURE ON SERVICES ASSISTANCE BY GOVERNMENT (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Jan. 27: The announcement that the War Cabinet had approved of a Government contribution of £2 for £1 on all expenditure in connection with the Emergency Precautions Services as from January 1 this year was made by the Minister of National Service, Mr R. Semple, to-day. This subsidy, he said, would- apply to all items of exoenditure, such as administration, transport, services, etc., but 'if would not be necessary to interfere with arrangements made in connection with air raid shelters. The Minister said that full information in connection with the subsidy was being circulated forthwith. Mr Semple also announced that the War Cabinet had approved of the E.P.S. authorities making the necessary arrangements in their respective districts whereby vehicles which had been reserved for emergency precautions services could be provided with battery service to render them mobile at all times to meet any emergency that might arise. A Government subsidy of £2 for £1 would be payable in respect of this battery service, but an amount of 30s per annum would be the maximum upon which the subsidy could be claimed. RESERVE TRANSPORT POOL MEETING URGENT DEMANDS (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Jan. 27. A reserve transport pool is to be created to tneet any urgent demands that may arise if the existing facilities prove insufficient. An announcement to this effect was made by the Minister of Transport, Mr R. Semple, to-day. , . . This pool will be under the jurisdiction of the four transport licensing authorities. It is expected that those firms requiring transport will make every endeavour to make satisfactory arrangements themselves, but if these arrangements cannot be made, they should communicate with the secretaries of the transport licensing authorities whose offices are located in Auckland, Wellington. Christchurch, and Dunedin. The authorities, before calling on the pool, will first satisfy themselves that it is impossible to meet the demand from the existing licensed services.The Minister said that the pool was being specially created to assist in the solution of any problems that might arise out of the impressment of commercial trucks for defence purposes.