AIR RAID SHELTERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24417, 1 October 1940, Page 7

AIR RAID SHELTERS

PROVISION OF BUNKS OVER ONE MILLION (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, Sept. 29. (Received Sept. 30, at 7.30 p.m.) Plans are being rapidly pushed forward for supplying public air raid shelters with bunks, in order that an increasing portion of London’s population may sleep in safety and relative comfort More than 1,000,000 of these bunks are being produced, and it is expected that the first big batch will be delivered to the shelters in 10 days’ time. They are made in three tiei-s, the lowest of which will be of wood so as to provide a seat during the day. Samples of these bunks were tested to-day by Admiral ■ Sir Edward Evans, one of London’s regional commissioners, who expressed approval. The centre bunk, which can be folded back and the top bunk are made of wire, and it is expected that a good deal of the wood from which the bottom bunk and frames are made will be obtained from houses which have been damaged by Nazi bombs. A demonstration ot '* shelter comfort ” was given at,,Stoke Newington, where Mrs Creswick Atkinson showed how public shelters, many of which are divided into four 12ft compartments, can be fitted with two tiers of wooden bunks and made into a comfortable self-contained family sleeping space By confining each compartment to two t : ers only enough space is obtained to allow a family of at least four sufficient room to sit and sleep in comfort. It is suggested that keys b' given to residents in houses nearby.