CO129-580-9 Air Raid precautions- supply of equipment 14-2-1939 - 24-11-1939 — Page 38

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Absolinin

5.

The provision for 1939 for special

expenditure on air raid precautions is as follows:- (i) Head 6 C sub-head 13 Mobilization Stores..

$250,000. This is a one-line vote intended to cover all special expenditure on air raid precautions other than stores for training

purposes, equipment for St. John Ambulance

Brigade Reserve and capital expenditure on new buildings.

(ii) Head 31 sub-head 47 Public Works Extraordinary.

6.

Air raid precautions $200,000, A total

provision of $450,000.

After discussion with the Air Raid

Precautions Officer the Executive Council strongly hold the view that the first measures to be undertaken should be those designed to give protection against high explosive and incendiary bombing, anti-gas equipment being provided only on the minimum scale for the time being. They arrived at this conclusion on the following grounds:

(1) High explosive and incendiary bombing would be

more effective from the military point of view: (2) Gas bombing has never yet been employed against

a civilian population:

(3) Gas bombing of a civilian population will be

7.

shunned by the enemy, except perhaps in

desperation, because of the odium which it would provoke in world opinion.

Accordingly it is proposed to spend the Mobilization Stores vote as follows during the year

1939:-

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