E.P.S. SCHEME

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 April 1942, Page 4

E.P.S. SCHEME

ACTIVITIES OF SUPPLY COMMITTEE PREPARATIONS FOR EMERGENCY IN MASTERTON. SURVEY BY DEPUTY-CONTROLLER An informative survey of the operations of the Supply Committee of the E.P.S. organisation was given at today's luncheon of the Masterton Rotary Club by Mr J. H. Cunningham, deputycontroller. Mr Norman Lee presided over a good attendance of members. The supply committee, Mr Cunningham explained, was divided into a number of sub-committees—groceries and provisions, clothing and bedding, meat, chemist supplies, bread, milk, and fuel, tools and implements. ' The central depot was at the F.C.D. Co. yard and the area which the committee would be expected to supply would be Masterton borough. Masterton County and the Castlepoint and Mauriceville counties. Unless a state of national emergency were declared to exist in this territory the supply committee would not commander stocks or set up a depot or even commence to issue ration cards. It was felt that the most likely demand upon the E.P.S. in Masterton would probably be in connection with evacuees from Wellington or elsewhere, in which case the existing avenues of supply would function in the normal way as long as possible. It had to be understood that the accommodation and supply of evacuees from Wellington or elsewhere did not necessarily constitute a state of emergency. Evacuees would be expected to utilise the existing channels of supply as long as they were able to pay for their requirements and goods were available. If and when that system broke down, the Supply Committee services would function. The Accommodation and Evacuation Committee had already obtained promises to give lodging to over 4000 evacuees. Personal application would be made by the head of each family evacuated, to the Supply Committee, for credit orders for supplies upon retailers for bread, meat, milk and provisions.

The Supply Committee, said Mr Cunningham, was responsible for the purchase, requisition, control and distribution or sale of foodstuffs, clothing, bedding, boots and other necessities. It would, if required, requisition all 'supplies and materials. It might stop the usual trading through retail shops and supply to the community such essentials as bread, meat, milk, and groceries under a rationing scheme. Such a scheme might, according to the circumstances, either be on a free issue or on a credit issue to those of the community who were able to pay for what was supplied and a free issue might be limited to those in distressed circumstances. A less serious emergency might require no more than the control of the available supplies by limiting purchases to reasonable quantities. In the event of the usual sources of supplies being closed and a rationing system instituted, a depot would be opened. Bread, meat, milk and groceries would be made available and in the event of rationing, ration tickets would be issued. Unless absolutely necessary, the Food Controller would not interfere with retailers but the public would be encouraged to purchase from their usual business houses their usual requirements. This would operate even if some buildings and property were damaged and would tend to keep up the public morale. Wholesalers’ establishments would probably be required to close down for, say, 24 hours and an inventory of stocks taken. A reserve supply should be maintained by all householders, along the lines of what would be taken on a camping expedition to tide them over, fdfi at least a day or two. Candles should be in this reserve and a torch. If rationing became necessary, people should use their own containers and have a reserve supply of paper bags and wrapping paper to put their supplies in. Many details of the organisation that had been planned in the event of an emergency were given by Mr Cunningham, who stated that the total personnel of the Supply Committee was 86. He quoted figures relating to production in New Zealand and to the consumption of foodstuffs. On the motion of Mr J. J. Hunter, Mr Cunningham was accorded a hearty vote of thanks for his address. .