STRICKEN WAR TOWNS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 17153, 1 October 1926, Page 7

STRICKEN WAR TOWNS

MADE BEAUTIFUL AGAIN The completion of the reconstruction of the French towns devastated in the Great War affords one of the greatest object, lessons in the possibilities of human work. Consider, for example, the mining town of Lens. This big town was so thoroughly destroyed that at the end of 1&1S the traveller passing along its streets saw not houses, but rows ot heaps of rubbish. . It was difficult to believe that rue destruction bad been done, by. shellfire. Lens looked as it gangs oi professional liousewreckers had addressed ihomsiyves to each house and deliberately reduced it to a heap of ruins'. To-day, eight years aftcSr, a new Lons has arisen, spick and span. Fine new streets ol houses have been formed, looking very much better than,, those , destroyed .during tho war. ’They are well-built, comfortable, and picturesque. Not only houses, but public buildings, churches, places of amusement, schools, railway stations havel sprung up as if by magic. Some of the new French towns have been most admirably planned. Tor instance, tlie new town of Tergnier has three circular groups ol streets connected by straight thorough fares, the whole forming a convenient and beautiful town-system. It is strange to reflect that these improvements have been brought about through devastation.