ZEAL FOR RAID PRECAUTIONS

Southland Times, Issue 24766, 10 June 1942, Page 5

ZEAL FOR RAID PRECAUTIONS

EFFECT OF ATTACK ON SYDNEY

(Rec. 7 p.m.) SYDNEY, June 9. The sensation caused by the Japanese shelling of the eastern suburbs overnight remained the sole topic of conversation last night, when residents of beach suburbs, generally, completed preparations for individual safety in the event of a further raid. Those who had neglected to protect windows, or provide themselves with some form of home shelter, set about the task yesterday with a zeal that surprised their more cautious neighbours. The State Minister of National Emergency Services, Mr R. J. Heffron, commented on the lesson which the raid had taught those who were sceptical about shatter-proof windows. He said that windows which had been treated withadhesive tape fared much better than those which had not.

Immediate steps will be taken to have repairs made to Sydney and Newcastle residences damaged by the attacks. This has been stated by the chairman of the Australian War Damage Commission, Mr A. W. Coles. “I am very sorry to find that few householders who suffered in the attacks took the precaution of taking out war damage insurance on furniture and personal effects,” said Mr Coles. “These people will thus receive no compensation for the damage sustained. I hope their misfortune will show the vital necessity to everyone of insuring their belongings against war damage.” War damage insurance of property in Australia is compulsory. The insurance of furniture and chattels is left to the discretion of individual owners. BLACKOUT URGED

“People should blackout their homes now and not be satisfied merely with the brownout insisted upon by regulation,” stated the Minister of National Emergency Service, Mr Heffron, today. He feared a sudden emergency might find householders unprepared. Such an emergency must be anticipated. The Federal Home Security Minister, Mr H. P. Lazzarini, has hinted that compulsory blackouts may soon be imposed over vulnerable areas in Australia.

As a result of the shelling of Sydney only five claims for damages have been received by the War Damage Commission. About 20 homes were damaged, but most of these were damaged to the extent of less than £5. Such small amounts must be borne by. property owners. The total damage is assessed at only a few hundred pounds.. The damage in Newcastle was even lighter than that in Sydney. HUNT FOR SUBMARINES

Naval units and Air Force bombers are hunting for the enemy submarines. It is considered that if the raid was a hit-and-run affair it will be several days before the submarines are out of range. A reconnaissance aircraft search is also being made for possible submarine hiding places along the east coast.

It is believed that some of Japan’s largest types of submarines made the attack. These have a range up to 16,000 miles and must still have considerable supplies of fuel. They could operate in south-eastern Australian waters for several weeks before returning to their base. The naval authorities say that only one enemy submarine shelled Sydney while a second and apparently a smaller submarine attacked Newcastle. CAUSTIC COMMENT “Japanese submarines smashing windows in Sydney and Newcastle are not contributing importantly to the conquest of Australia, but they give the people at home something to talk about,” says The New York Times in a leading article. The newspaper adds: “We had similar propaganda shelling of our Californian coast and Tokyo

dressed up some tall tales concerning it. After the rough going of Admiral Yamoto’s forces in the Coral Sea and off Midway Island the Japanese populace needs all the comfort it can get. “However, there is an element of encouragement in the appearance of these submarines off Australia, considered in conjunction with the apparent subsidence of enemy air assaults from the north. It appears that Japan may have abandoned the hope of any quick conquest of Australia to adopt the method of the slow strangulation blockade. This blockade may improve, but at present it is more a nuisance than a menace.” NAVAL HONOURS The bodies of the four Japanese sailors recovered fro mthe wreckage of the midget submarines in Sydney Harbour were cremated this morning with full naval honours. The ashes will be retained for return to Japan after the war. The naval authorities were faced with a situation without precedent regarding what procedure to adopt with the bodies of Japanese naval personnel killed in action in these waters. However, cremation is the usual Japanese method of disposing of the dead, and it was considered that these men should have similar treatment to that which the relations and colleagues of Australians who died in enemy-occupied territory would expect to be accorded to brave men who died in the course of their duty. There was no religious ceremony whatever and not a word was spoken during the proceedings at the crematorium. The four coffins were covered with the Japanese flag. The only persons at the chapel were Rear-Admiral Muirhead Gould, Superintendent of Naval Establishments, the Swiss Consul, Mr H. Hedinger, who will receive the Japanese ashes, and representatives of the Press. A firing party of naval ratings remained outside the chapel with arms reversed.