Wairarapa Times-Age MONDAY, MARCH 30, 1942. EVACUATION AND DISPERSAL.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 March 1942, Page 2

Wairarapa Times-Age MONDAY, MARCH 30, 1942. EVACUATION AND DISPERSAL.

4 ANSWERING a question at a meeting of the Masterton and District E.P.S. on Friday night, the Mayor (Mr T. Jordan) said: “The less talk about evacuation the better.” This, no doubt, was a sensible and timely utterance if it implies, as it presumably does, an avoidance of loose or alarmist talk, as well as a recognition that in many instances: “Stay put” may be the best advice that can be given and acted upon in the event of an enemy bombing raid.

Looking at the matter in its full scope, however, there are some aspects of possible evacuation and dispersal policy on which an explicit ruling and clear guidance are desirable and should, indeed, be regarded as essential. For example, there should be an official and authoritative instruction as to whether it is better that pupils should be. kept in school buildings during a raid (as was suggested by the member for the district, Mr J. Robertson, in a letter which came before Friday night’s meeting) rather than that, an attempt should be made to get them to their homes. One headmaster (Mr J. W. T. Jones) said teachers were at a loss because of the confused instructions issued by various departments. This .stale of affairs decidedly should be cleared up.

On the general question of evacuation, the Prime Minister (Mr Fraser) has stated that “the only competent authority to assume the responsibility of ordering evacuation from any locality is Ihe Army.” In view particularly of the evidence on record of the way in which fighting forces in other war zones have been, impeded fatally and hopelessly by panic evacuation, this broad I'uling evidently must stand unchallenged. In an actual emergency of war, the first and supreme consideration must be the unhampered movement of fighting forces.

There are, however, some important details of evacuation policy which it should be practicable and highly desirable to determine decisively in advance of possible events. In particular. it should be possible to determine beforehand in many cases whether a given area is or is not a suitable one into which to move people evacuated from other localities in an emergency.

Billeting and other plans have been prepared, for instance, for the reception of evacuees in Masterton, but it was mentioned at Friday night’s meeting that the question of whether Masterton was or was not to be declared a vulnerable area had not yet been determined, though it was likely to be determined

very shortly. Obviously local reception plans, as well as other aspects of emergency precautions policy, should be con-, sidered, or reconsidered if necessary, in light of the decision as to the category in which Masterton. is to be placed. In some cases, though not, of course, in al], it should be perfectly feasible to determine in. advance whether a given area is or is not a suitable one into which to co'nvev evacuees.