CITY'S VITALITY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23774, 30 September 1940, Page 8

CITY'S VITALITY

| BUSINESS IN LONDON —: 4 GREAT ADAPTABILITY SHOWN EFFECTS OF HEAVY BOMBING By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright British Wireless LONDON, Sept. 27 The speed with which London has accommodated itself to front-line battle experiences has deeply impressed foreign observers, and the disturbance to business life is less pronounced than was anticipated. Some business premises have, of course, been completely destroyed, but in others temporary repairs to the damage have been undertaken, and with a minimum oi! delay business is being continued.

This is particularly noticeable in the case of shopping centres which have been bombed, and even in much-bombed Oxford Street business life is once again flowing strongly. Throughout the capital the public services which have become so much a part of British life that their continuance passes almost unnoticed are being maintained. Trade as a whole laid its plans before the war, and these plans have worked admirably. Distribution ol Milk Arrangements to keop uninterrupted the operation of the milk distributing trade are a good example of what is occurring in other essential industries, not only in London, but also in provincial towns which have been heavily attacked. A remarkable feature of the bombings is that not only is the loss of life less than was expected, but the damage to buildings is less than was feared. This is disclosed in a Home Office leaflet on the protection of factories, which eays: "It is generally imagined that in the case of a direct hit tho building and occupants aro doomed. This is not supported by evidence obtained from a study of recent air raid damage. Little Damage Caused "There have been many cases of light 50-kilogram me bombs detonating on the thin corrugated roofing of singlestoreyed factory buildings with little damage other than to the roof covering, and very slight casualties. Similar bombs detonating on the floor of a shop remove the roof covering over a wide area, but do surprisingly little damage to machines. There is very little danger of serious structural damage from a near miss. "Very heavy bombs of 500 kilogrammes falling within 35ft. of a workshop with corrugated iron walls did no more than strip sheeting from steelwork. There is evidence in the case of multi-storeyed buildings, in which all ioads are carried by steel or reinforced concrete frames, that the damage caused by even a direct hit will be local, confined in most cases to the floor and the part hit."

WEAPONS OF VICTORY ARMS FACTORY WORKERS SHOCK TROOPS AGAINST NAZIS British Wireless LONDON, Sept. 27 Jn a message to workers in the arms factories the Minister of Supply, Mr. Herbert Morrison, says: "One of the greatest battles in the world's history is now being fought, not only between our own and the enemy's air forces, but between the German air force and the men and women of Great Britain. "I have the honour to lead one division of our civilian army —the workers in the arms factories —and to them I issue this order of the day: 'You are the front line fighters in the battle for freedom. More than that, you are the shook troops, for, while the Nazi barbarians train down their bombs on our people, yours is the proud task of coun-ter-attack.

" 'Alone among the troops of our civilian army you can do more than suffer and endure in grim patience—you can hit back. You are the men and women of whom Hitler is afraid, because your hands are forging the weapons of victory. Stand to your jobs, then. Victory will crown your efforts.' "

KING HOLDS COUNCIL MINISTERS AT THE PALACE British Wireless LONDON, Sept. 27 His Majesty the King held a Council at Buckingham Palace. It was attended by the Lord Privy Seal. .Mr. C. R. Attlee, the Secretary of State for the Dominions, Viscount Caldccote, Lord Snoll, and the Chancellor of' the Exchequer, Sir Kingsley Wood. The Council dealt with routine business. ARMY CASUALTIES LONDON, Sept. 27 The War Office's 51st casualty list contains 133 names, including four officers and 38 other ranks killed, and one officer and 6G other ranks wounded.