The Government have prodUced their plans—published in the papers of
last Saturday—for maintaining essential supplies in the event of a general strike. A stateMent, explaining the plans was sent by the Ministry of Health to all the local authorities. England and Wales.have been divided into ten divisions, each under the control of a Minister of the Crown. A " national emergency.", is defined as a state of affairs necessitating a Proclamation under-the Emergency Powers Act of 1920 as a preliminary, to the issue of regulations. In a national emergency each Minister in charge of a division will act_ as a (civil-Com- missioner. He will be helped by a staff consisting mainly. of representatives of the Departments, and \will deal. with the transport, food, coal and postal services, Volun-: teer helpers will be recruited if necessary. Each, ivisional area will have a Food Officer, a Road Officer,. a Coal Officer, and a Haulage Committee. Where the ordinary police force is insufficient to -keep order the local authority. may enrol able-bodied citizens of good character as special constables. These special constables would he under the police.
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