E.P.S. ALARM

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 May 1942, Page 2

E.P.S. ALARM

CONFUSION IN WELLINGTON

INQUIRY INTO CAUSE.

STATEMENT BY MINISTER.

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. “Inquiries have been made by the various authorities concerned as to the reason for the confusion which occurred in connection with the arrangements for a practice alarm in the city of Wellington last night,” said the Minister of National Service, Mr Semple, yesterday. “I should like to preface my remarks by saying that the procedure which Mr Hislop described as being followed hi these circumstances is correct. Arrangements were made with the National Service Department for a practice alarm, were communicated to the authorities concerned, and the ‘yellow,’ ‘red’ and ‘green’ signals were given by Military District Headquarters, Wellington, to the E.P.S. control room at the times arranged. There is no truth, therefore, in the assertion that the arrangements were bungled by the National Service Department. “I can only regret that he has so hastily gone to the Press with an indictment against the department. If he had taken time to ascertain the facts, he would have discovered that the charge was completely unfounded. “The reason for. the premature alarm, in Wellington was the communication to E.P.S. headquarters of a message at 6.33 p.m. mentioning that' a ‘red’ ’signal had been given in Christchurch. This message did not concern Wellington and should not have been passed to them. Nevertheless, the E.P.S. official who received it interpreted it as an alarm for Wellington, and the sirens were sounded. “Inquiries show that the mistake was made both at the telephone exchange and at E.P.S. headquarters. The instructions which had’been issued were clear and precise and this was a case of the failure of.the human clement.”