MANY BUILDINGS TO BE DYNAMITED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 2, 3 January 1941, Page 5

MANY BUILDINGS TO BE DYNAMITED.

LONDON DANGER.

Royal Engineers Help In Work Of "Cleaning Up. ,,

United Tress Association.—Copyright

(Reod. 11 a.m.)

LONDON", Jan. 2

The formidable task of clearing wreckage in the City has now be°-un in earnest. Fifteen hundred officers and men of the Royal Engineers have been drafted in to assist the Pioneer Corps and Civil Defence units in the work.

Scores of dangerous buildings will have to be dynamited. The demolition squads have already achieved remarkable results.

Roads almost everywhere are now clear, but many side" streets are still closed to the public. Some are completely blocked by tons of shattered masonry.

Ancient city halls destroyed include the Barbers and Guild and Parish Clerks. The Hall of the Barbers' Company escaped the Great Fire in 1666, and was one of the few remaining works of Inigo Jones. The Worshipful Company of Cordwainers, which for three centuries held their New Year's Day service in St. Anne's and St. Agnes' yesterday held their service amid the ruins of the church.

RAID PRECAUTIONS.

Special Body To Ensure

Prompt Action.

COUNTERING FIRE-BOMBS. British Official Wireless. (Reed. 1 p.m.) RUGBY, Jan. 2. The establishment of a special organisation to secure prompt and vigorous action by various Government Departments and authorities in applying effective measures* for iire protection in target areas, is announced from Downing Street. The organisation will be caljled the Fire Precaution! Executive and will work in close connection with the Ministry of Home Security, and will include representatives of all Government Departments concerned with the problem of fire prevention. Mr. Herbert Morrison, Home Secretary, will preside over meetings of the executive and Colonel Sir John Greenly has agreed to undertake administrative charge of the organisation.

BREAKDOWN DENIED.

BERLIN-VICHY TALKS

(Reed. 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, Jan. 2. Well-informed circles in Berlin deny knowledge of a reported breakdown in negotiations between Vichy and Berlin.

SEAMEN CHARGED.

MB. HUGHES SPEAKS OUT

CANBERRA, Jan. 2.

The Minister for the Navy, Mr. W. M. Hughes, attacked Australian seamen refusing to take ships to sea unices fitted with paravanes and degaussing equipment. He said the seamen owed something to Australia and while Australia was in trouble they must make up their minds to fight for Australia and not for Germany, as they were doing by their action. They were loyal, but he feared they had become victims of dieloyal elements.

LORD MAYOR HONOURED.

British Official Wireless. RUGBY, Jan. 2. The Lord Mayor of London, Sir George Wilkinson, has accepted the honour of becoming an honorary citizen of Megora, in Greece—the birthplace of Euclid. It was bestowed upon him as a tribute to hia work for the Greek Relief Fund. The Mayor of Megora cabled to him: "Your noble act to aid morally and practically our heroic country, the mother of civilisation, shows you are worthy of the office you possess."

LOWER MEAT RATION.

British Official Wireless. (Reed. 2 p.m.) RUGBY, Jan. 2. A reduction in tie meat ration was announced to-night by the Ministry of Food. From next, Monday the ration, which is at present 1/10 worth of meat per head weekly, will be reduced to 1/6. It was also announced that from that date pork and most offals will be included in the ration. ,