TRANSPORT DEFENCE SCHEMES IN BRITAIN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 142, 18 June 1938, Page 9

TRANSPORT DEFENCE SCHEMES IN BRITAIN.

AUDACIOUS PLANS.

Millions to be Spent Against

War Risks

MINISTRY'S NEW DEPARTMENT

British Official Wireless.

(Received 12 noon.)

RUGBY, June 17

Speaking on his Department's vote in the House of Commons, the Minister of Transport, Dr. Leslie Burgin, said that for the first time the vote included a small section described as transport defence plans—the section which is engaged in the consideration of home defence plans as they would affect transport.

Tlie formation of this special section in the Ministry reflected the important part which transport played in home defence.

Among the important matters under consideration were those which would arise should it ever be necessary to divert shipping from the east to the west coast, or distribute imports from the west coast. Apart from these, rail, road and other inland transport services Mould have to be adopted to meet abnormal conditions in time of emergency.

Speaking of the highways development survey of Greater London* by Sir Charles Bressey, chief engineer of the roads department of the Transport Ministry, he described the recommendations as far-reaching and audacious. They were receiving expert, detailed study. Beyond Immediate Realisation. The programme embodied much that was beyond immediate realisation, but he hoped all local authorities Concerned would do all they could to make their own development plans conform as nearly as possible to the lines laid down in the report, and proceed as quickly as circumstances allowed with the more urgent of the schemes. Dr. Burgin estimated the cost of the whole programme at somewhere between £160,000,000 and £230,000,000. Dealing with the five-year programme of trunk roads, the Minister said schemes had been submitted to an estimated total cost of over £129,000,000, of which works up to £93,500,000 had been approved to date. In regard to road accidents Dr. Burgin said that in his judgment the problem constituted a challenge to humanity adequately to impress itself with the stupidity and cruelty of allowing the toll «f the roads to continue. DEFENCE LOAN. REMARKABLE RESPONSE. (Received 12.30 p.m.) LONDON", June 17. The remarkable response to the British £80,000,000 defence loan reveals that the weight of money seeking investment is so heavy that it only requires an atmosphere of reasonable confidence to ensure success of borrowing for the purposes of industrial expansion and construction. It must not, however, l>e thought that the entire issue has heen taken up by the public. Government Departments are probably heavy subscribers.