PRIME MINISTER

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 June 1942, Page 3

PRIME MINISTER

TOURING THE WAIRARAPA STATE OF EMERGENCY. DECLARED BY MAYOR OF MASTERTON. The Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, is making a tour of the Wairarapa district and will visit Masterton today. Public Works Department engineers, Messrs Newnham, Turner and Watkinson made an inspection of buildings in Masterton today and proceeding to the northern portions of the district. A decision that the Mayor, Mr Jordan, should declare a state of emergency was reached at a meeting this morning of local body, Army and Air Force representatives. This would give Mr Jordan the necessary powers to cope with the situation in particular to the requisioning of material for essential repair work. Persons requiring repairs to their houses must notify a central office established at the Town Clerk’s office in the Municipal Buildings. Priority will be given to those cases considered most urgent. WORK OF REPAIR SUB-COMMITTEE SET UP. TO DEAL WITH RESIDENTIAL . AREAS. A sub-committee comprising Messrs J. C. D. Mackley and E. M. Hodder has been set up to ascertain, after consultation with district wardens, what essential work is needed in residential areas. Wardens are to go from house to house throughout their areas and obtain information from householders as to roofs which are not considered watertight, what cooking facilities they have and what children under five or invalids are living in the house.