TOWN CLERK COMMENTS ON TRIP TO AUSTRALIAN CIVIL DEFENCE SCHOOL

Taupo Times, Volume XIV, Issue 48, 22 June 1965, Page 1

TOWN CLERK COMMENTS ON TRIP TO AUSTRALIAN CIVIL DEFENCE SCHOOL

The emphasis placed by civil defence organisations on the results of atomic war did not necessarily mean that this particular disaster was inevitable, Taupo's town clerk, Mr K. G. Winton, said in an interview yesterday. The simple fact was that an atomic bomb caused the greatest known havoc and civil defence groups could be trained for the worst and take lesser disasters in their stride.

Mr Winton has just returneci from a month-long , :ourse at a school of civil iefence just outside of Melbourne in Australia. The Mayor of Auckland, Mr Robinson, began the same course yesterday. Referring to the school's outlook on atomic war, Mr Winton said that it was generally accepted by the public that if an atom bomb or a hydrogen bomb went off, there was nothing which could be done for the people inside its blast area. This was not so. There were many things people could be taught to do for themselves which would give them a 50/50 chance of survival. It depended on just wrhere they were when the blast oecurred. Mr Winton went on to say that it was felt in Australia that New Zealand was ahead on its civil defence organisation. Australia did not even have the special legislation defence groups in New Zealand work under. The Australians had set up a controller for each State and tbe civil defence groups were centred on rescue groups. However, in two ways the Commonwealth Government had given ready assistance for the groups. It had made modern radio equipment available to the State Governments because it took the view that communications were the backbone of any civil defence plan. It also printed standard communication forms and ! other stationery required by the groups. Message forms and the like were based on those used by the armed services. | It had been suggested that a similar school should be run in New Zealand, said

Mr Winton. However, he discounted this suggestion, pointing out that it cost Australia a minimum of £110,000 a year to run the school at Macedon. New Zealand had budgeted for some £7000 for accommodation and travelling expenses for New Zealand ers to attend the Australian school and this appeared to be more economic than setting up a separate schooL New Zealand last year set aside £27,000 for civil defence; of this £21,000 was actually spent. This year the Government expects to spend £33,000. Of this figure £7000 will be for communications equipment. The course Mr Winton covered was actually divided into two separate phases. One was on staff and coutrol administration of headquarters, the other covered all phases of communications. This involved actual trips into the field as well as iectures. "Students" learnt to use radio, field cable and telephone systems and their application to civil defence from the patrol warden up to headquarters. Mr Winton paid a tribute to the organisation of the school, but admitted it kept him busy almost full time. From the arrival on a Sunday (lectures began at 7.30 that night), those taking the course were up at 7 a.m., lectures from 8.50 to 12.50 and 1.50 to 5 p.m., then evening sessions from 7.30 to 9.30.