NOT PERMITTED

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 265, 31 January 1941, Page 5

NOT PERMITTED

HOME GUARD ORGANISATION OF E.P.S.

COUNTY DECISION UPSET

As reported in the BEACON'S issue on Monday, the Whakatane County Council, at its monthly meeting on Tuesday, Avas unanimous that the Home Guard Avas most .suitable placed to organise the Emergency Precautions Scheme, liav ing already enrolled the manpoAA r er of the district and thus being in the position to detail the men to the most suitable duties.

When the matter came before the meeting for discussion in the morning, the chairman, Mr J. L. Burnett, explained that the Council AA r as in the dark as to AA'hat policy Avas opera in regard to the scheme, and was not sure that the poAA'ers could be handed to the Guard. This aspect had been con-, siderod by the Works and, Finance Committees on the preceding Friday artyl the clerk had dispatched a Avire to the Minister of National Service seeking a ruling. A reply had not come to hand and at that stage the chairman, stating that the matter Avas one of urgency which, in his opinion, should be finalised before the meeting rose, suggested that the business be ad-' journed until the afternoon. No reply Avas received lioAA r ever, and the decision to hand over the control to the Home Guard Avas unanimously made. However, just after the BEACON had gone to press on Wednesday the chairman of the council received -a Avire from the Minister which upsets the council's decision. The communication rea;d as folloAVS: — "Replying to your telegram, the Government Avill not authorise Home Guard to organise and operate the Emergency Precautions Scheme.. The two organisations are subject to. different regulations and control and duties differ. Syllabus of training for Home Guard Avill be mainly military in character and on proclamation issuing its personnel may be required to serve aAvay from centre. The duties of the ] E.P.S. include extinguishing fires, maintenance of IaAV and order, control of traffic, attention to sick and injured, provision of communications, organisation for evacuees and generally to. protect persons and property. It is essential that the E.P.S. organisation has sufficient personnel to enable it to carry out its functions, but it is suggested that in small centres such as Whakatane the personnel need not be large." In vieAv of this information being received the chairman of the county states that the matter will have to again come before a meeting for discussion.