CO129-589-4 Air raid precautions- supply of equipment 1-11-1940 - 24-1-1941 — Page 23

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recommended to take whatever steps they can to strengthen

the ground floor of their houses, as advised by the Air Raid

Precautions Officer.

•

4- As regards protection against gas an organisation

is to be set up which will enable civilians to purchase

respirators at cost price. The respirators will be kept for

the purchaser by Government in an air-conditioned store and

issued on demand. A further announcement as to the details

of this scheme and as to how applications under it should be

made will be published later by the Air Raid Precautions

Officer.

5. The carrying out of this programme has involved and

will involve expenditure very substantially in excess of the

provision approved in the 1939 Estimates. Apart from the

incidental expenses of the Air Raid Precautions Department

that provision consisted of the sums of $250,000 for all

kinds of mobilizations stores and $200,000 for public works,

including a new store. The further expenditure this year

for which covering authority will now be required exceeds

$1,500,000 and the necessary formal votes will be submitted

for the consideration of Finance Committee at this afternoon's

meeting. Estimates for further expenditure next year will be

included in the ordinary Estimates for 1940/41.

29th June, 1939.