E.P.S. ORGANISATION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 January 1942, Page 2

E.P.S. ORGANISATION

FIRE WATCHING CONSIDERED UNNECESSARY MASTERTON NOT A VULNERABLE AREA. MEETING OF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. “We do not come within the definition of a vulnerable area and I am not going to take any action in regard tq fire watching.” said Mr T. Jordan, chairman of the Masterton E.P.S. executive at last night's meeting of the committee. “There are obvious proofs cf that view all round,” he said. “It has been said all over the world that it can’t happen here,” observed Mr Norman Lee.

Mr Jordan: “I asked the Dominion Fire Controller if he expected us in Master-ton to do anything. He said ‘no’.” Mr Jordan said he had obtained the best advice he could on the matter. Mr Jordan's decision was upheld. Referring to the compulsory registration for national service of all men between 18 and 66. Mr Jordan said this would give the opportunity for the E.P.S. to select and complete the personnel of all its committees. He suggested that the nine chairmen of E.P.S. committees could go through the applications and sort them out.' Now was the time to transfer any men from the E.P.S. to the Home Guard if the men would be more useful in the other organisation, though key E.P.S. men could not be allowed to change

over. The course suggested was agreed upon. Details were given of the arrangements made for the issue of petrol to the E.P.S. for use in an emergency and for the servicing of vehicles. Mr Jordan said holders of ordinary petrol licences would continue to use those licences until they were stopped .by the controller or the chairman of the executive. Reorganisation necessitated by the setting up of a Hospital EmergencyPrecautions Service outside the E.P.S. was detailed by Mi’ Norman Lee. in a statement to the committee. It was the task of the E.P.S. to deliver casualties to the hospital, when they would be taken over by the Hospital Emergency Precautions Service. As there was a possibility of Lansdowne School being required as a hospital, it was agreed that the casualty clearing station at the school should, be transferred to the Y.M.C.A. building. A sub-committee was set up to deal with reduced lighting in the district. Mr G. Brown ,district controller, said the orders for reduced lighting were issued by the Dominion Lighting Controller. He understood that the latter had not agreed to the suggestion of the Masterton Borough Council to leave the street lights on undimmed until 10 P- m - , . c , The appointment of a chief warden and deputy wardens was left,to the chairman of committees to deal with, in consultation with the district lighting controller. Mr J. W. T. Jones reported that every school had prepared detailed plans for the evacuation of children from the schools in the event of an emergency. The Masterton Fire Board drew attention to the need for servicing fire extinguishers every ,twelve .months as they were dangerous if they were out of order. It was considered desirable that special tap connections should be fitted inside buildings to give facilities in dealing with incendiary bombs. The National Service Department stated that the Women’s War Service Auxiliary was the only official body for the co-ordination and directiop of women’s war work in the Doinink-n. , The mattei- of setting up a Ministers Committee in the E.P.S. to allow ministers a free right of way in the case of an emergency was referred to the Masterton Ministers’ Association.