BRITAIN TODAY

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24970, 12 August 1944, Page 7

BRITAIN TODAY

BRIEF HOLIDAY SEASON BEACHES STILL BARRED KIA'INTr BOMBS AND HF/KU (Sprcin I Corrpspomlpiit) (Hml. .Y.T, p.m.) LONDON. Atur. 1! The English holidaying season, much briefer than in normal times, but none the less welcomed by war workers, resulted in a different type of "battle for I lie beaches." This occurred when hundreds of people reached the seaside and found the anti-invasion barricades of four years ago still in position, and only troops were allowed to swim. In some cases people took fhe law into their own hands and went in swimming with the soldiers. Demonstration on Beach There was a public outcry when the police re-imposed a ban on some areas, and a measure of its intensity was when Sir Herbert Willams, M.P.. led a group of people down to the sea on a banned Sussex bench. They had a swim and then held a protest meeting, when Sir Herbert said: "It is high time tins official stupidity was ended."

At almost the same time War Office and Home Office officials were deciding that all beaches not needed for operational purposes should be opened to the public as soon as possible.' Grumbling at Beer Shortage Coincident with the holiday season, there occurred a shortage of beer in almost all parts of the country, and this has been the cause of some grumbling, both private and public. It is reported that the flying bomb is the reason for London suffering "the worst beer thirst of the war," because a labour shortage has been caused by women who work in breweries leaving London with their families. It has certainly not made the flying bomb any more popular. The evacuation of London is still continuing, and early this week the official figure reached 267,000, but thousands more have gone unofficially. Harvest in Full Swing The English harvest is now in full swing, and it is estimated to be the most highly mechanised that the country has ever seen, with 2500 coin bineharvesters at work. They < have become so popular that it is a rare sight to see horses pulling a binder nowadays. On nearly every farm, crops are cut by tractor power, either the farmer's own tractor or one hired from a contractor or the local war agricultural committee. This is a very different state of affairs from that which existed before tho war. Public optimism is growing that the European war may end this year, and there seem to be a number of people who think it will be over by early in November. There are others, of course, who think (he end will occur earlier, and others again who see it entering next year. Irksome Blackout If it has not ended this year, it Is likely that there will he some public agitation to ease the blackout or remove it altogether. This regulation is one of the most disliked of tho entire war, and while the public agreed there was necessity for it in the early days, they no longer see the point in maintaining it. Judging by the remarks of the averago man and woman in the street, there will be gigantic bonfires all over the country on the night when the armistice is signed, and the blackout ends, foi apparently everyone is determined to burn the blackout curtains immediately.