WARTIME LONDON

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23619, 1 April 1940, Page 9

WARTIME LONDON

RECOVERY FROM BLOW DEMAND FOR RESIDENCES IMPROVEMENT IN BUSINESS (Received March 31, 8.12 p.m.) Briiish Wirclesw LONDON. March 30 The return to London of a considerable proportion of those who voluntarily evacuated the city at the outbreak of war is resulting in a new demand for residential flats and houses in parts bordering on Hyde Park, which suffered most from tho migration. The extent of the evacuation, however, has been greatly exaggerated, and the net movement right away from London, including all classes, says the weekly journal Economist, probably fell considerably short of a quarter of a million. Something like nine out of every ten of Greater London's inhabitants, it adds, have just carried on. Summing up impressions of wartime London, the article proceeds: "The truth is that the first two months of tho war are remembered too vividly. London was struck a shattering blow. Evacuation reached its peak. Places of public assembly and amusement were closed. Greater London was deserted, | and unemployment rose sharply. Even then, the great majority of Londoners were going about their business as in peace time. "Since then, there has boon a great change, Shoppers and pleasure-goers have returned, and entertainments have boon revived. Also, lately, there has been an improvement in the retail trade after the heavy fall, although it must be remembered that the peacetime tendency for retail shopping and entertainment to move away from tho centre to tho suburbs had simply been accelerated by tho war, with its dangers to transport, curtailment and petrol rationing. "Hardships which have occurred, such as losses suffered by districts containing small hotels and well-to-do residential areas, have been localised, and serious. problems which have arisen in the increase of rates in boroughs confronted with higher expenditure and lower income are being faced. "Taking all factors into account," the writer concludes, "London is not a distressed area: it is still the largest, busiest and wealthiest city in Europe.",