E.P.S. CONTROL

Marlborough Express, Volume LXXVI, Issue 244, 16 October 1942, Page 2

E.P.S. CONTROL

i PALMERSTON NORTH ANNOYED. INTERFERENCE RESENTED.

P.A.

PALMERSTON N., Oct. 16. '

"This committee enters, an emphatic protest to the Government against the present system of control, which, in the committee's opinion, will not produce the best organisation for protecting the citizens in time of emergency." The foregoing resolution was passed at a meeting of the E.P.S. committee. As part of its fire-fighting precautions to meet an emergency the committee delegated to the city's Fire Erigade superintendent power to instruct business firms what firefighting appliances should be ininstalled in certain business houses. The superintendent ordered hose reels, but objection to their installation came in a letter the committee received from the regional commissioner, Colonel Ciochetto, who suggested that, the instructions given by the brigade superintendent should be v/ithdrawn. Colonel Ciochetto also suggested that owners of buildings should not be prosecuted for tfailing to comply with the superintendent's requests without the circumstances being reported and the consent of the regional commissioner, Colonel Ciochetto himself, first being obtained through the district controller. The Mayor, Mr Mansford, presiding, asked the committee who v/as best fitted to judge whdt was required to fight fire. He did not intend to withdraw the authority given the superintendent for the regional commissioner or anvone else until they could produce someone more fitted than the superintendent. He characterised the request as presumptuous coming from a layman. V