AN E.P.S. PROTEST

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 28, 28 October 1942, Page 4

AN E.P.S. PROTEST

Palmerston North Dispute

Recently the Palmerston North E.l’.S. committee adopted a resolution entering an emphatic protest to the Government against the present system of control, expressing the opinion that it wou.d not produce the best organization for protecting citizens in time of emergency, lhe regional commissioner, Colonel U. v. Ciochetto, states that this resolution has now been submitted to him and will be conveyed to the appropriate authority. It was reported originally from 1 almerston North that the brigade superintendent there had ordered hose reels to be placed in a certain business house, but that the regional commissioner had objected to their installation and had suggested that the instructions given by the brigade superintendent should be withdrawn. The mayor,,Mr. A. E. Mansford, had then stated that he did not intend to withdraw the authority given the superintendent for the regional commissioner or anyone else until they could produce someone more fitted than the superintendent. He characterized the request as presumptions as coming from a layman. “There are confusion and doubt among the citizens of Palmerston North as to the true nature of the matter in dispute, and the first opportunity will be tnkeu lb place correct facts before the committee,” states the regional commissioner. "Unfortunately the chairman of lhe committee, Air. Mansford. is at present indisposed and it would not be in the best interest of those concerned to call the committee together while their chairman could not be in attendance.' In the menutime the district controller, Air. T. Seddon, mayor of Feilding, has the matter under inquiry.” Tlie regional commissioner also states that he did not give a ruling as a layman, but on the advice of high and qualified authorities. The ruling given was that the chairman of the E.P.S. was to direct the lire brigade superintendent to relax his instructions aud modify his requisition to enable owners of buildings to improvise hose reels, without the necessity for purchasing standard reels. The firm in question had installed hose, bucket pumps, reserve water containers, sand aud shovels, but objected to expenditure on appliances where reasonable improvisation could and bad been made. Only the hose reel (an appliance to wrap the hose round) was in dispute, not the hose or other equipment.