FOR EMERGENCY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 March 1941, Page 9

FOR EMERGENCY

PROVISION OF TRANSPORT

REQUIREMENTS OF ARMY. STATEMENT BY MINISTER. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. "During the 18 months that New Zealand has been at war. the necessity for making provision for transport for emergency purposes has become increasingly pressing,” said the Minister of Transport, Mr. Semple, when referring last night to the provision of emergency transport. "Some work has already been done in various parts of New Zealand,” added the Minister, “but much more still remains to be done before the situation can be regarded as having been adequately provided for.” Mr. Semple said that in approving of the plan now being put into operation by the transport industry, as already announced, the Government had decided that the matter should be viewed from a national rather than from a local standpoint. The factors and requirements it was necessary to take into account were briefly as follows: —

1. The provision of a large number of vehicles to become the property of the Army for the training and defence of New Zealand.

2. The provision of an emergency or auxiliary transport system entirely for the defence forces or, alternatively, on which the Army could, if required, have first call.

3. The provision of transport of all kinds for E.P.S., Home Guard, or other similar organisations. “On examination, it became obvious that the solution of the problem could no longer be left to each of the organisations requiring transport as in many cases, judging by the rate of progress, a considerable time would elapse before arrangements would be completed, while from the point of view of the vehicles available, it was evident that provision for all these schemes as separate entities was practically impossible without conflict of interest arising." said Mr. Semple. “The strain of providing for all transport requirements will become increasingly great as time goes on and the commercial transport fleets can only provide for emergency requirements in addition to their normal work, if and when organised on the most effective basis possible.

“The plan is designed to accomplish this through the practical application of the principle of co-operation between the Government departments, emergency organisations and the transport industry, I want to emphasise that it is not intended to undo the work of any existing E.P.S., HomeGuard, or other organisation, but tc point out the necessity for the co-ordination of their requirement? with those of the defence forces, which must claim priority, and for this reason the Government looks to all concerned to meet this problem with a view to adjusting it amicably and in the wider national interests by practical and whole-hearted co-opera-tion. lam sure that if this is done, all requirements will be' admirably met to the satisfaction of all concerned.”