AIR RAID SHELTERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23690, 23 December 1938, Page 9

AIR RAID SHELTERS

PROVISION IN BRITAIN COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAMME STATEMENT IN PARLIAMENT (British Official Wireless) (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) RUGBY, Dec. 21. Government 'plans for the provision of air raid shelters for the civilian population were disclosed in the House of Commons by the Lord Privy Seal (Sir John Anderson), who revealed that the Government would undertake the responsibility of accumulating equipment at a cost of £20,000,000, mainly for providing a special type of steel shelter. At the outset of his statement, Sir John remarked that the preparations against gas were more advanced than other aspects of the air raid precautions and ahead of all other countries. If the risk of gas attack seemed less than it did it might be due to the thoroughness of these preparations. Preparations against the incendiary bomb and the high explosive bomb must now be brought to the same state of preparedness. In regard to the former, a plan had been worked out for augmenting the fire services in an emergency and the recruitment and training of personnel, and the provision of the equipment required was being pressed forward. Protection Against Bombs

A practical shelter policy offering protection against the danger of the high explosive bomb must satisfy three conditions—first, in the areas vulnerable to attack protection must be given in or near the homes of the residents or their places of employment.

Secondly, shelters proof against a direct hit were not practicable. Apart from the difficulties and delays involved in any extensive scheme for deep bomb-proof shelters, he did not think the public was prepared to take measures that would compel a large proportion of the population to live and maintain their productive capacity in a troglodyte existence underground. What they must provide was adequate protection against splinter and blast and the fall of debris.

Thirdly, protection for everybody at the public expense could not be provided. All who could afford it would be expected to arrange for their own protection, but the Government would see that all necessary advice and guidance would be made available. Legislation after the Christmas recess would impose certain obligations on trade and industry to protect their employees while at work. Communal Shelters For those overtaken by air raids in the streets communal shelters would be available either in trenches or in other forms of shelter to be provided by the local authorities. He instanced in this connection the strengthening of large basements in warehouses and offices, and provision underground for car parking. The main problem, however, was providing protection for the ordinary citizen close to_ his own home. The type of protection must vary according to the type of building, and arrangements were being made to produce standardised fittings for basements. Surveys would be conducted to see to which houses this method could profitably be adapted. In blocks of flats the most satisfactory course would be to provide structural support. either in the basements or ground floors of the buildings, and m those where an exceptionally large area could be strengthened. In this way others besides residents would be accommodated. For houses without basements and not veiy solidly constructed a special type of steel shelter, in sections easily put together, had been devised to be placed outside the hou'se close to the wall and sunk about 2ft in the ground, the displaced earth being piled up on top of the steel frame. The provision of these shelters called for central purchasing, and the Government proposed to take the responsibility for accumulating the necessary steel and equipment of these private shelters and to bear the whole cost of the material. The Government would 1 proceed immediately to place orders for a very large quantity of steel and equioment. A supply of special steel shelters sufficient to afford protection for 10,000.000 people would be arranged for the smallest type of house, and material for strengthening private basements would be accumulated progressively as the survey advanced. Exchequer to Bear Cost

The cost of providing all this material (£20,000,000) would be home entirely by the Exchequer, and would lead immediately to increased employment in parts of industry where there was at present considerable unemployment: and if, happily, it was not used for the purpose intended, all the steel left in the hands of the Government would have a residual value, while the special shelters designed for the smaller type of house would have a considerable resale value. The duty of providing public shelters for people caught in the streets and those who could not be sheltered in their homes remained with the local authorities, but the Exchequer contribution towards the cost of these public shelters would amount to several millions. The whole programme was designed to orovide ■ protection for nearly 20,000,000 people.