NO RELAXATION YET

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 303, 24 December 1942, Page 4

NO RELAXATION YET

■I CIVIL DEFENCE PLANS •: i >, SKILL AND VERSATILITY ■’ I The easing of lighting restrictions •J . and lire watching must not be 1 taken as an indication that the Gov- •« j ernmeiit believes that the menace i* ■ of enemy raids or landings was too •J i remote to need well sustained », preparations, states the Minister of J» National Service, Hon. D. Wilson, in ? the current issue of the Civil Dc•J free Bulletin. ,* “Any impression of that kind •J among the public—especially among ■, members of civil defence organisations J - must not be encouraged in any way. • New Zealand is in the lighting line till ? victory is achieved,” the Minister Ji adds. Ji “The year 1042 has brought important progress in civil defence, ij Throughout the Dominion many thousands of men and a large numJ ber of women have given much time i 1 and energy in training for various ij duties which an enemy raid would put 'j into operation. • “On behalf of the Government, and J’ particularly the civil defence branch J of the National Service Department. 1 C wish to record hearty appreciation of i the widespread spirit of service and P sacrifice which, I feel sure, will conJ tinue unabated till the dangers to , these shores has been abolished by '« the complete defeat of the en°my." 1 The War Cabinet, on the advice of J the experts concerned, felt justified , in modifying the lighting restrictions i and fire-watching conditions, but was 1 taking precautions to assure that J quick reinstatement of any necessary , measures would he readily practici able. 1 As a result of fire watching being J temporarily eased many men would i he diverted to other E.P.S. duties. Far i from being relaxed, the training of ' men in various units must be intensiJ ; tied, so that the standard of skill and , I versatility could be further raised as ilouickly as possible. This had been 1 i the practice in Great. Britain during J i the current year. More and more in i civil defence the call was for i i efficiency. ‘ "Facing the New Year, the people ii of New Zealand, as well as in other • countries of the British Common- ’ : alth.” the Minister adds, “must , hear in mind and heart these words i of Mr. Churchill’s recent statement in > the course of his review of favour--1 able events for the United Nations , during November: i “ ‘We have to gather up all our • strength. If by any chance unex- ' nected good tidings come to us. that ' would be a matter which we can rei joice at. rn.it which we must not count ■ on. We count on our strong right J arm. and honest. hard-working J hearts, and our courage which has a l rot yet been found wanting, either in • domestic or foreign stresses during ’ the whole course of the war.’ ”