PLANS MADE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 June 1939, Page 5

PLANS MADE

AGAINST POSSIBLE WAR EMERGENCY WORK OF ORGANISATION FOR SECURITY. OUTLINED BY PRIME MINISTER. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, June 1. The Prime Minister, Mr Savage, this evening made a further statement on the steps already taken, or now being taken, by the Government to prepare the Dominion against war contingencies. “It seems to me,” said Mr Savage, “that the time is now appropriate to let the public know, as far as this can be done without disclosure ,of necessarily secret matters, exactly what we have done and what we are doing. “I have already spoken of what has been done by and for the armed services, but the public will realise that tne provision of an adequate navy, army, and air force is only one of many steps that have to be taken to prepare the country for war. The organisation of civil departments and the co-ordination of this work with that of armea services, and, indeed, the co-operation of the three service departments among themselves, is at least of equal importance, and involves at least an equal amount of thought and careful preparation. “For this purpose the Organisation for National Security has been established, and has been busily, but quietly, at work for a long time.

ORDER AND METHOD. “The organisation has the same functions, and is founded, on the same lines, as the Committee of Imperial Defence in London. That is to say, the Prime Minister is the only permanent member, and co-opts all the assistance he requires from time to time. The whole of the work of the organisation is done under the general direction and supervision of the Prime Minister’s Department. The organisation for National Security reports to the Defence Council and the Defence Council in turn reports 'to Cabinet, which finally decides all matters of importance, and which retains throughout control of the whole work. “The main function of the Organisation for National Security is to gather necessary information for the preparation of the New Zealand Government War Book, the object of which is to provide orderly instructions for the guidance of all concerned on the outbreak of war and complete a central .record for the co-ordination of all immediate governmental activities in that contingency. In addition every department of State that will be concerned in war, including many civil departments, as well as the navy, army and air departments, must have its own individual war book, recording steps to be -taken by that particular department. Both the New Zealand Government War Book and the departmental war books are so designed as to provide for appropriate action in three separate periods: First, when there appears to be a threat of war; secondly, during a precautionary period when war appears to be probable; and thirdly, when war actually has broken out. FIFTY COMMITTEES. "It is sufficient to indicate the magnitude of the work that has been undertaken to state that under the Organisation for National Security more than 50 separate committees, or other organisations, nave been at work, some of them meeting frequently and regularly. More than 400 separate committee meetings have been held and the work has involved the cooperation of 40 Government departments and the services, from time to time, of several hundred individuals. Indeed, a really remarkable amount of detailed and practical preparation has been made. “The public will not expect me to go into details of the actual measures that are proposed. Indeed, very many of these steps are secret, and must regain secret, but it might be useful to set out the type of subject that has under consideration.”

After giving-further particulars of the investigations that are in progress, the Prime Minister spoke of the valuable collaboration of the heads of the armed services with civil authorities in dealing with the subject of supply and other important problems. In j many cases the collaboi-ation of representatives oi industries had also been enlisted. RAPID PROGRESS MADE. “I do not wish to give the impression that the whole of the work involved has been completed,” said Mr Savage, “but 1 can assure the public that the work has made rapid and satisfactory progress. Careful thought has been and is being directed to all necessary steps that would be required on the outbreak of hostilities. “All portions of the Government War Book that are essential for immediate action have been completed and approved. Detailed instructions have been prepared and recorded, and these, with the necessary Bills, Or- ; ders-in-Council, regulations, etc, are actually printed and held ready for action at a moment’s notice. “Should the worst happen, the machinery of the Government could now turn from a peace basis to a war basis without unnecessary confusion, and without the necessity, in a time of emergency, of pausing to think out what immediate steps should be taken. “There is much detailed work yet to do, but the whole field has been surveyed and what remains to be done is clearly known and will be expedited to the utmost degree possible. “I should like to point out also that the work involved in the preparation of these war books is never finally completed, for the documents require, and are given, regular and frequent revision as the circumstances demand. CALL UN LOCAL BUDItS. “I wish to make special reference to the Emergency Precautions Committee, which, under the control of the Department of Internal Affairs, is charged with the co-ordination of activities in this connection of local bodies concerned, who must be primarily responsible for the actual steps taken. “The detailed scheme, suggested steps which should be taken by local authorities for the protection of the civil population against disorganisa j tion, has been prepared and circulated to local authorities, and it is the intention to make a special effort to complete this work (which has the added advantage of being applicable in times of natural disturbance, namely earthquake, as well as in time of war las rapidly as possible. “I accordingly urge all local authorities to collaborate to the utmost extent in this matter with the Department of Internal Affairs. *‘l should like to add also that, after the most careful consideration, and, with the benefit of the best expert advice available in this country and from abroad, the Government is convinced that there is no necessity in the present circumstances for any undue apprehension as to the safety of the civilian population. GAS MASKS NOT NEEDED. “While the situation will be kept carefully under review, there is no present need in spite of the views so often expressed by people who are not familiar with the facts for the provision of gasmasks for the civilian population as a whole, or for plans for the evacuation of civilians from the main centres, or for shelters either in the form of trenches, special ‘dugouts,’ strengthened buildings, or specially prepared erections for protection against bombing from the air or bombardment from the sea. ’ “This is the unanimous opinion of every individual whose view on the matter is worth taking, and the people of New Zealand, will readily realise that the circumstances in this Dominion are totally different from those, for example in the United Kingdom. “Those precautions that are considered prudent are set out in the Government’s draft scheme of emergency precautions already referred to. “I think I have said enough to assure the public that the Government is not asleep, and that, so far as humanly possible in the time and with the resources at their disposal, they have taken, and are taking every possible step to meet any eventuality that may arise. “At the same time, I should like to repeat what I said in my broadcast a few days ago that, though the international situation is bad, it is no worse than it has been for some time past, and that the Government, while forced to take a realistic view of the situation, can see no necessity for undue apprehension, and certainly no reason' for undue despondency over what the future has in store. While war may be possible, and we must prepare for it, it is still my view that common sense and international decency will prevail, and I have by no means lost hope that a long period of peace will enable us to carry out in New Zealand the tasks which we were primarily elected to perform.”