TRAFFIC CONTROL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 February 1941, Page 6

TRAFFIC CONTROL

IN EVENT OF EMERGENCY

SPECIAL UNIT OF HOME GUARD. FORMATION ANNOUNCED BY MINISTER. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. This Day. A special unit of the Horne Guard is to be created to control road traffic in an emergency, the Minister of National Security (Mr Semple) announced today.

"The enemy invasions of Poland and France showed clearly the grave danger to military operations caused by traffic congestion on main highways." the Minister observed. "Mechanised warfare demands extreme mobility of movement and an ability to strike with lightning speed at any threatened point. The functions of the new traffic section would be, firstly, to clear any routes of civil traffic in ordei; tg facilitate the passage of troops; secondly, to clear specific areas of all traffic if required by the military authorities and thirdly, to control direct traffic in connection with the evacuation of the civil population. The force will be commanded by the Commissioner of Transport and the traffic inspectors of the Transport Department will form a nucleus. Each inspector will be in charge of a district and will have under his control a number of mon to be specially selected and trained. Without exception, the Department's inspectors have expressed their willingness to act as members of the Home Guard and to train and organise their! units which will number approximately fifty. Emergency powers as traffic i inspectors will be provided for the! men selected who will receive a dis-! tinctive badge of authority. Upon the’ issue of a proclamation, the traffic sec-; lion will be detailed to the special traf-: fie work outlined. They will not bo-i come part of the Army.

"Regarding cities and the larger boroughs, where efficient traffic control units already exist, it is hoped that the local authorities themselves undertake this important work. My department is communicating directly with them."

In conclusion. Mr Semple said he felt sure the public generally would assist by recognising the authority of new appointees and facilitating the work in every way.