E.P.S. AND EVACUATION

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 163, 3 October 1941, Page 4

E.P.S. AND EVACUATION

Licences

At Wednesday's sitting of the No. 1 Transport Licensing Authority held at Whakatane a new taxi licence was granted h Simons, of Otakiri. A renewal of a heavy traffic licence was granted T.i Tamarau, while the decision in regard to an application for a goods carrying licence by Messrs Brabant Brps. was

reserved.

Ascset to Rugby,

OUR recent editorial remarks on the above subject have apparently caused considerable comment. In our article we endeavoured to criticise the Department rather than the for"mulators of the local scheme for evacuation. The advice from the Departmental Laison Officer that the civil population would, in the event of an emergency 'stay put' was however in accordance with the policy laid down some time ago. The local E.P.S. has but taken the matter further by anticipating the natural reaction to a possible emergency. It is obvious that human nature will demand that average people take themselves and their families if possible out of harms way and away from danger and it was to meet this contingency that the E.P.S. evacuation scheme was formulated —much upon the same lines as those governing the residents of North Shore, Auckland, which have recently been publicised. Should therefore a possible emergency arise in Whakatane, steps will have been taken to cope with probr abilities and to safeguard against a wild stampede to safer regions on the Plains. That we learn has been the intention of the committee and we have had this elucidation from that quarter. We cannot but feel that the precaution is a wise and far-seeing one.

In recognition o<f his long and valuable service to Rugby in the Whakatane Union Mr Robert Morton, of the Waimana Club, and member of the Union Management Committee has been made a Life Member of the Union. The president of the Union, Mr W. S. Henderson, paid high tribute toi the service rendered by Mr Morton and handed him a medal suitably inscribed.