East Berlin Seen As A “Dead City”

Press, Volume C, Issue 29633, 2 October 1961, Page 13

East Berlin Seen As A “Dead City”

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, October 1. Driving from West Berlin into East Berlin was like driving from a live city into a dead city, said Mr W. G. Morrison, chairman of the Wellington City Council town-planning committee, to-

day. Mr Morrison has just returned to New Zealand after a four months’ visit to Russia, the Continent. Britain, and America. He was in Berlin a week before the Russian barricade of East Berlin.

"West Berlin is a simplv fabulous place.” he said. “It is- full of shons, and humming with traffic.” In marked contrast East , Berlin was “just dead ” He passed through five bar- j riers of barbed wire in East , Germany Mr Morrison said . These were placed on the borders and on the demarca- ( tion lines between East and . West Berlin. At each barrier . there were searchlight platforms, and police with dogs ?Mr Morrison arrived in Leningrad on the Russian ship Baltika. Also on board , was a party of British Communists. “These people just dismissed as propaganda news that Russia ■ was using ; force in East Germany.” said 1 Mr Morrison. "When they 1 arrived, they said that they had found Utopia." One of this party had had 1 hi* illusion shattered when he was asked to pay 16s for a cake of chocolate worth 2s ' M in London. A new 100fi-bed hotel In 1

which Mr Morrison stayed in Moscow had no bathrooms. Showers were taken in communal baths in the basement. In the United States, Mr -«orrison said he noticed much more awareness of the possibility of a nuclear attack than in London. Posters in public places pointed to atom shelters, and gave instructions of what to do in the event of an attack.

Opawa Baptist Church

The fiftieth anniversary celebration of the Opawa Baptist Church will be celebrated at meetings and services at the church next week.

Beginning o.i Sunday with three services, anniversary activities will continue throughout the week. On the Monday a meeting w>ll be addressed by the Rev. Roland Hart. Other celebrations will include a banquet on October 14. On the final day, October 15, special services will be held at the chureh by past pupils of the church’s Sunday school.

Chimney Fire.—A chimney fire at the home of Gysbbertus van Ameyde. at 45 Wellington street, Linwood, was attended by a unit of the Woolstem fire station at 6.53 p.m. on Saturday.