DAMAGE AT RAMSGATE

Grey River Argus, 13 December 1940, Page 8

DAMAGE AT RAMSGATE

OVER 1800 HOMES LOST. HIGH COMMISSIONER’S VISIT. LONDON, November 1. The High Commissioner for New Zealand, Mr W. J. Jordan, recently visited Ramsgate, one of the worst air-raid affected parts in south-east-ern England. Lieutenant-Colonel F. Waite and Dr. A. Gillies accompanied him. They were shown the extensive damage done to the town. Of 12,000 houses in the town area, over 1800 had been destroyed, ' over 1500 in live minutes on August 24. There was considerable loss of life. The municipal, gasworks were completely demolished". There was a raid while the High Commissioner and his party were in Ramsgate, and they saw the people hurrying to the shelters, which are considered to be the finest in Great Britain. Built in the chaff cliffs, they run underground for three and a-half miles. The cost was £55,000, of which the Government paid 65 per cent.

The town is in a state of distress, for it depends for its income on holidaymakers. As it has not been possible for people to go there all this revenue has been lost and few rates have been paid. Of a total permanent population of 34,000 there are now remaining in Ramsgate only some 20,000. Through the High Commissioner, Ramsgate has received a sum of over £3OO to help people left homeless by air raids. Of this amount £lOO has been given by the New Zealand Patriotic Fund, and £lOO from a private fund. Another £lOO, the High Commissioner has arranged, is to be given for the assistance of dependants of sailors and soldiers in the town. One of the above amounts has been augmented privately by a New Zealander.