PROSPERITY AND WAR WORKS

Southland Times, Issue 23736, 7 February 1939, Page 8

PROSPERITY AND WAR WORKS

Intense Activity In

Britain

GREAT PROGRESS IN SLUM CLEARANCE

A Britain that was enjoying prosperity largely brought about by tremendous activity in munition and aeroplane factories and in home defence works was described yesterday by Mr A. B. Paterson, of Invercargill in an interview with The Southland Times. Mr Paterson, who, with Mrs Paterson, has just returned from 12 months’ holiday in Australia, South Africa, England and Scotland, said that great progress was being made with slum clearance in the big cities of England and Scotland, and both countries seemed very prosperous,

When the crisis was at its height, Mr Paterson was in Glasgow for the Empire exhibition. Hourly reports of the trend, events were taking were broadcast, but -when the settlement was reached, Mr Paterson knew of it some time before the official announcement was broadcast to the anxious public of Britain. A Swede was staying in the same house as Mr Paterson and, by means of a short wave set, he was getting reports from. Sweden long before they were broadcast in England. The Swede was able to tell those in the house that war had been averted, two hours before the momentous news was broadcast in England. Although in England there was intense activity during the crisis in making provision for the safety of the civil population, there was no such activity in Scotland. Precautions against air raids were unknown, and it was not until nearly two months after the crisis was over that the authorities began to issue gas masks to the public. Mr Paterson was in England and Scotland six years ago, and on his recent visit he found that conditions had improved greatly. There was, however, a shortage of houses. This was brought about by a lack of skilled men in the building trades, a result of the slump, when youths were not trained as carpenters and bricklayers. Another great change Mr Paterson noticed in Britain was the attitude of the youth of the country towards the colonies. Formerly there had been an intense desire among young men and women to seek their fortunes in the colonies, but today that was changed. A higher standard of living gave the youth of the country every encouragement to stay at home and the colonies no longer held any attraction for them. Assisting greatly in improving the living conditions of the people was the work being done in slum clearance. In Aberdeen, particularly, tenement houses were being done away with and nearly everyone now had “a bit of a garden”—a luxury they had not previously enjoyed. It would, however, be a long time before all the slums were eliminated. COUNTRY’S PROSPERITY Tremendous activity in munition making, in ship building and in aeroplane manufacture was contributing in a great measure to the prosperity of the country. Big hangars for aeroplanes were being constructed in all parts, as were huge underground stores for petrol and oil. These underground stores of fuel for war aeroplanes were made of concrete. Above them were several layers of earth, arid the grass growing above gave the touch of perfection to a most effective camouflage. While all this preparation for war was going on, the Glasgow exhibition provided a magnificent example of the fruits of peace. Mr Paterson was very impress _d by the splendid industrial exhibits, but was surprised to see no I motor -cars on display. The only example of the progress being made in motor-car manufacture hinted also at preoccupation with thoughts of war; it was a military display of the latest mechanized units in the Army. , More than 500,000 persons saw the launching of the Queen Elizabeth on the Clyde, and Mr Paterson was one of them. “It was a beautiful sight to see the great ship take the water,” said Mr Paterson, “and the Queen, who performed the launchirig ceremony, gave a most moving speech.” Before coming to New Zealand 15 years ago, Mr Paterson spent 20 years in South Africa. It gave him much pleasure, therefore, to visit the country again. Wonderful progress had been fnade since he was there, mainly because the country was a natural store house of gold. South Africa was very prosperous, but it was a difficult country for farmers, who/iad to contend with plagues of locusts and other pests. The Government by heavily taxing the mines, was able to subsidize the farmers, however.

The four months Mr Paterson spent in South Africa were crowded with experiences, but among the most impressive sights were the Victoria Falls. He has visited Niagara Falls, but they are, he says, “not a patch” on the Victoria Falls.