CONTROL OF AIR RAID SHELTERS

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23220, 6 January 1941, Page 2

CONTROL OF AIR RAID SHELTERS

REORGANISATION IN LONDON i HEALTH MINISTRY i; RESPONSIBLE (BBiTign omciAL wirei.kss.) I (Received January 5. 8 p.m.) i ■ } RUGBY, January 3. Alderman Charles Key (Labour M.P. for Bromley and Bow), who has been prominent In the organisation of civil defence in the Poplar area, which suffered heavily in the learlier German air raids, has been appointed a regional commissioner for the London civil defence region, and will take over responsibility for all London air raid shelters from Admiral Sir Edward Gowers, who becomes senior regional commissioner in London in place of Mr Euan Wallace, who has resigned on the grounds of ill-health.

At the same time It Is announced that in future, while the Ministry for Home Security will* provide shelters*their management will be under the Ministry of Health, which will be responsible . for public health, sanitation, admission, and order. It is believed that Alderman Key Intends to appoint in each region some qualified woman to give her whole time to the shelter problems of women and children. This reorganisation of the control of shelter accommodation follows Mr Churchill's assurance given in the House of Commons on the eve of the Christmas recess, that the organisation and Improvement of shelter conditions Would be a first task of the Government at home. Since a continuation of Nazi frlghtfulness by night must be expected, those who had to grapple with the problems of mitigating to the Utmost <he conditions under which the people would endure these assaults, were, Mr Churchill said, as much in the front line as the armoured columns in Libya, , "The Times” calls the changes good news for shelterers, and adds that henceforward safety and health will both be under one control. It links the changes with the new powers taken by the Government only a few days ago to check abuses affecting health and public order in shelters.