CACHES IN COUNTRY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 62, 14 March 1942, Page 4

CACHES IN COUNTRY

URGED BY COUNTY COUNCIL FOOD FOR AN EMERGENT V. A suggestion that supplies of food for use in an emergency should be stored m country districts was made al the monthly meeting of the Wanganui County Council yesterday. The question of evacuating women and children from the city, should the need ever arise, was discussed, and the chairman., Cr. A. H. Collins, .said the new E.P.S. organisation being formed in I’k county would press tor food depots being established in rural “The problem is. how are we going to feed them?" said Cr. J. J. Lissette, when it was reported that if ever necessary women and children would be evacuated from the citv and aci commodated in the. country. The chairman replied that this question had been discussed with the authorities responsible for food supplies. Fie had been told that food was ■ stored in the cities, but the opinion had , also been expressed that depots be provided in the country. Something might be done about this in the near future. “We could arrange accommodation for food dumps,” said Cr. Lissette, who added that if necessary buildings could be erected in the county, it was essential that adequate precautions should be taken against vermin, but this could be arranged. “We should have the food in the country now, not wait till an emergency occurs.” said Cr. T. Mitchell. The county engineer, Mr. R. R. Dawson, said it had been suggested that the council should purchase supplies of certain foodstuffs and store them in readiness for use in an emergency. If never required for this purpose the provisions could be sold. This position should be clarified, said the county clerk, who added that the public generally appeared to have the impression that distribution of food would be a matter for the Government. He had heard also that if the city were evacuated people would not be sent very far into the country, the object being to avoid undesirable congestion in inland centres. “The new E.P.S. organisation in the county will take up this question of food supplies and press for depots in rural areas,” said the chairman.