E.P.S.

Timaru Herald, Volume CLI, Issue 22185, 31 January 1942, Page 4

E.P.S.

Depletion Of Trained Personnel (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Jan. 30. In a statement to-day, the Hon. R. Semple referred to the concern expressed by the chairmen of several of the larger Emergency Precautions Services at the imminent depletion of their trained personnel owing to the calling up of men for Territorial service. “Such is inevitable,” said the Minister. “Just as the trained personnel of businesses, Government departments and industrial concerns are being called upon for service in the Armed Forces, so must the demands of the Army affect our civil defence organisations. As far as the latter are concerned, it is clear that the position is met to a great extent by the recent introduction of compulsory enrolment in the E.P.S. which policy will bring into the ranks of those organisations a large number of men who will have special qualifications for the work required. It is competent for the chairman of an E.P.S. organisation to lodge appeals in respect of his trained personnel, but I would suggest that such appeals be kept at the absolute minimum. “The necessity for an efficient E.P.S. organisation is not in question, but it will be agreed that by good organisation efficiency can still be maintained by utilising the manpower which will now become available and which, for the time being, is not liable for military service. I would therefore impress upon the chairmen of E.P.S. the desirability of limiting their appeals to essential men, such as controllers and technical experts, and so build-up their respective organisations that every key man w’ll have a deputy capable of taking over higher responsibilities should necessity demand. By such collaboration we will be able to fill the manpower requirements of both the military and civil defence organisations. “I appreciate the fact that in some cases it will be necessary to train men for key positions vacated by the transference of the holders to the army,” concluded Mr Semple, “and I would suggest that in such cases the chairman of the E.P.S. concerned lodge an appeal with the manpower committee for a reasonable postponement.”