BLACK-OUTS IN LONDON

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24205, 25 January 1940, Page 9

BLACK-OUTS IN LONDON

o EFFECTIVENESS PROVED (British Official Wireless) RUGBY. Jan. 23. Home Office experts, basing their* views on information received from six civil pilots who have been making flights over London, state that the black-out is so effective as to make navigation for these pilots often difficult. It was reported that even oh moonlight nights cities cannot be distinguished from the countryside at heights above 10,000 feet. Prior to the introduction of obligatory automobile headlamp masks all main thoroughfares were visible throughout their whole length, but now the small sidelights of cars can actually be seen from a greater height than masked headlights. One expert states that the Thames is not so good a navigation aid as might be imagined owing to the clever black-out methods. Although as far as citizens are concerned the inconveniences of the black-out of the early days of the war have been greatly relieved in various Ways, yet the effectiveness of the black-out in London as a whole has been actually improved. Captain Wallace announced in the House of Commons that the Government proposes to introduce a speed limit of 20 miles an hour in built-up areas during the black-out period. ROAD ACCIDENTS INCREASE FOUR THOUSAND DEATHS (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, Jan. 23. (Received Jan. 24, at 7 p.m.) Mr Wallace announced that the speed limit would become operative on February 1. He said that until a sufficient proportion of Germany's bomber striking force had been destroyed, ending the menace of the air raids, the black-out would continue substantially in its present form. Deaths in road accidents since the outbreak of war numbered 4123, compared with 2494 for the same period last year. Sixty per cent, of the fatalities were due to black-out accidents. The lowest death-rate occurred during full moons. Pedestrians were the chief sufferers, 2667 being killed, representing a 117 per cent, increase over last year. Mr Wallace added that the Ministry of Information was immediately starting a road safety campaign, using the press, broadcasting, and the kinema.