E.P.S.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 January 1943, Page 2

E.P.S.

VITAL POLICY QUESTIONS DECIDED BY WAR CABINET. EFFECTIVENESS TO BE MAINTAINED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Policy questions of vital importance to Emergency Precautions Services have now been determined which will have a direct bearing on training and time required to be devoted thereto by personnel. Making this announcement last evening, the Minister of Civil Defence, Mr Wilson, said that War Cabinet, with a full sense of its responsibilities to the people of the Dominion, could be relied upon to formulate both active and civil defence measures in keeping with the conditions existing, and not to impose irksome restrictions a moment longer than was considered to be absolutely useful and necessary. War Cabinet had determined that Emergency Precautions Services must be maintained in a condition of effectiveness in the meantime. POSITION FULLY REVIEWED. “A full review of the whole position was again carried out by the War Cabinet in conjunction with the Chiefs of Staff this week, and the proposals in respect of civil defence for the immediate future were given full and careful consideration. I am in a position to state that the War Cabinet has determined that Emergency Precautions Services must be maintained in a condition of effectiveness in the meantime, ready to spring into action immediately should an emergency arise and anyone who thinks that the position in the Pacific is so good that we can abandon our civil defence preparedness or that the position could not deteriorate as quickly as it has recently improved is living in a fool’s paradise. “To give effect to this policy will call for continued training particularly for the personnel of the front line units, such as first aid, law and order, wardens, works and fire fighting, but time involved in training will be regulated to ensure only a reasonable standard of preparedness and will be based upon the present war situation and not upon the seriousness of the war situation which existed last year. MODIFIED ESTABLISHMENTS. “The time has certainly not arrived to justify the removal of the provisions calling for compulsory service in the E.P.S., though it is probable that steps will be taken to fix modified establishments of well-trained personnel plus a reserve of others to be called upon should the position deteriorate. It must be pointed out, however, that male personnel relieved of any liability for training and service in the E.P.S. .may be posted for service with the Home Guard. ‘To ensure that all civil defence organisations will be kept effective, the| War Cabinet considers that tests of units will be carried out at intervals and occasionally more comprehensive trials, consisting of several appropriate units,” said Mr Wilson.