NATIONAL REGISTER

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 August 1939, Page 5

NATIONAL REGISTER

PREPARATIONS COMPLETED IN BRITAIN DOUBLE PURPOSE IN VIEW. WAR AND PEACE CENSUS. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, August 16. The Registrar-General. Sir Sylvanus Vivian, stated today that preparations are now fully completed for the compilation of a national register lor operation in the event of war. The plan provides for a national register to include all members of the population —men. women and children. It is planned on census lines to serve a dual purpose—the compilation of a national register if an emergency arises, or, if no emergency arises, the taking of the 1941 census. A total of 65,000 enumeration districts in Great Britain has been arranged compared with 49.000 for the last census. The recruitment of 65.000 enumerators is almost completed. Enumerators, when collecting the return from each household, will issue at once an identity card for each member of the household. Identity cards must be produced for all purposes relevant to the maintenance of the register, or otherwise on demand by authorised persons.

All the schedules, forms, books and instructions necessary for the initial compilation have been printed and either stored or distributed. The scheme provides for a comprehensive system of identity registration framed to meet as far as possible all the needs or contingencies of war conditions. Identity cards may also oe brought into use as vouchers of identity in support of individual claims to any payments or allowances receivable under war schemes. VOLUNTARY SERVICE TWO MILLION MARK PASSED. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, August 16. About 24,000 persons applied last week to be enrolled for national service, making the total about 2,041,000 volunteers since the campaign began in January last. EVACUATION PLANS CHILDREN AND MOTHERS IN LONDON. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, August 16. A revision of the plans for evacuation of children and mothers of young children from London in the event of war is likely to bring an additional 230.000 within the scope of the scheme. AMBULANCE SERVICE EMERGENCY PLANS IN PORT OF LONDON. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, August 16. • There will be a special rehearsal on Friday of the Thames ambulance service organised by the Port of London Authority for a national emergency. The ambulance craft will give a demoslration of the embarkation of casualties from a fire-float on the river and from the Battersea power station.