17
Enclosure No.2.
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practicable to attempt any large scale schemes of protection for the general public such as tunnels, steel shelters and
the like."
3. Such was the policy of this Government up to the outbreak of the war and indeed up to the time this year when it became likely that hostilities might spread to the Far East. At the beginning of July it was apparent that an emergency had arisen, as visualized at the end of paragraph 2 of the Colonial Secretary's statement of 29th June, 1939, which justified the putting in hand of measures to bring the Air Raid Precautions Organization into a state of readiness. Accordingly a number of Air Raid Wardens were called out for duty, Report Centres were put into a state of preparedness, extensive sand-bagging of public buildings was undertaken, the digging of trenches was commenced, and so on. The expense of these measures was covered by a Special Warrant (No.263 of 1940-41) for the sum of $422,000 which it is proposed to charge to Head 32, War Expenditure, Sub-head 2, Extraordinary
Local Defence, Item 3, Civil.
4. The evacuation of British women and children at the beginning of July gave rise, not without justification, to a feeling that something more should be done for the vast bulk of the population which in the event of hostilities would probably have no recourse but to remain in the Colony. Such a feeling was openly expressed by members of the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council at the time when the question of the cost of the evacuation was under discussion and I therefore directed the Director of Air Raid Precautions to prepare a scheme for the protection of the general public. A copy of the Director of Air Raid Precautions' Memorandum dated 12th August, 1940, is enclosed for Your Lordship's
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