SAFETY OF PUBLIC

Waikato Times, Volume 130, Issue 21653, 13 February 1942, Page 2

SAFETY OF PUBLIC

SHELTER FROM AIR RAID URGENCY OF WORK STRESSED The urgency of the need to complete emergency precautions at Hamilton was emphasised by the Mayor and Chief Warden, Mr H. D. Caro, at a meeting of the central committee of the Emergency Precautions Service and the Borough Council last night. “Since the meeting with the Minister of National Service on December 17, the war position has definitely deteriorated, and while I dislike striking a note of warning I feel that at the present time everyone must be made aware of the seriousness of the position,” said Mr Caro. “It is of no use our hiding our heads in the sand like an ostrich; we must look the position squarely in the face and ask ourselves have we done all that is possible to protect our people against any emergency. In the past we have done our best not to alarm people, but I do think that every effort should be made to make them realise the seriousness of the position. “Owing to the shortage of manpower and the urgent need for trenches, volunteers were called for to dig trenches on Saturdays. We estimate that close on 4000 working hours have been put into digging trenches voluntarily, and I wish to thank those who have helped so willingly to construct trenches. It would have been impossible to construct the number of trenches that are now available without the use of volunteers. Numbers To Be Sheltered “A summary of the recent tally of population of the central area is as follows:—Staffs, 3578; clients, 2742; public on footpaths, 1673; public on roads, 927; total, 8920. These figures were taken on a normal day at a normal hour and are not freak figures. “When an air raid dispersal takes place many of the E.P.S. personnel, including wardens and fire watchers, will have to remain at their posts to prevent the loss of the town by fire. Some of the safer buildings will give reasonable protection. These classes are estimated to aggregate 2400, which leaves the total to be provided for in trenches or tree shelters of 6520. Trenches and tree shelters have already been prepared for 4733, leaving the balance to be provided for 1787. If we can secure next Saturday 50 more men than we had last Saturday it is considered that the situation will be sufficiently in hand for the council’s employed labour to complete the work.”