IS DARTMOOR DOOMED ?

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20895, 26 November 1937, Page 10

IS DARTMOOR DOOMED ?

WARMING UP THE GOVERNMENT FUTURE OF TELEVISION (From Our Own Correspondent) LONDON, .October 13. The activities of a number of people have been directed during these last few weeks towards making things warm, if not hot, for the Government. Mr Neville Chamberlain will find No. 10 Downing street a much more comfortable place to live in, thanks to a new electric installation and to the introduction of thermostatic control, by which the temperature in important rooms is electrically regulated. A new electric radiator has been placed in his study and the central heating of the house has been modernised. Fires For Ministers Central heating will also warm the offices in the new Government building in Whitehall, with the exception of the rooms to be used by Ministers. These will have the conventional fireplaces. Probably It was thought that the Ministers, when receiving (and placating) deputations, would feel more comfortable if they could stand with their backs to the fire in the traditional manner! Safer Airships During the triumphant series of fly-ing-boat crossings of the Ndrth Atlantic little has been heard of Germany’s airship plans. But within six months a new and bigger “Zepp” will be launched to take the place of the tragic Hindenburg, burned as it was about to discharge its passengers at Lakehurst, U.S., last May. To make impossible a repetition of this disaster, the new airship will be filled with non-inflammable helium instead of hydrogen. The Germans are already boasting that their Zeppelins will establish a regular North Atlantic service before the Anglo-American flying-boat or aeroplane service is started. America, enjoying almost a world monopoly of helium, is reviving its interest in airships, which was almost quenched following a run of bad accidents several years ago. Russia set up an airship endurance record this week and Japan and Holland also have lighter-than-air projects. Britain’s Air Ministry, however, has kept its back resolutely turned on airships ever since the disaster to the R. 101. A Sinister Prison Dartmoor convict prison, that sinister grey pile in the midst of bleak moorland, will, it is reported, soon be closed. From the point of view of imprisonment, it is the best i .ol in Britain, for no convict has ever made good his escape from it. But from the point of view o' humanity and reform, Dartmoor has been repeatedly condemned. A few weeks ago the Home Secretary visited the prison to see for himself. He came away convinced that Dartmoor was built so much on “dungeon" lines that it would be Impossible to put into operation there any of his schemes for prison reform. Hence the 300 convicts will soon be moved to other prisons—where th- decline in crime has

A few weeks ago the Home Secretary visited the prison to see for himself. He came away convinced that Dartmoor was built so much on “dungeon" lines that it would be Impossible to put into operation there any of his schemes for prison reform. Hence the 300 convicts will soon be moved to other prisons—where th- decline in crime has left many “vacancies.” Dartmoor prison is quite useless; even its stones would not be worth the cost of transport to the nearest town. The grim buildings are therefore likely to remain standing . indefinitely—possibly destined to house the prisoners of some future war.

8.8. C. Pence and Pounds The British Broadcasting Corporation evidently believes in being careful with the pence and spendthrift with the pounds. This week the 8.8. C. declared itself unable to :.fford the £10.009 or £15,000 a year needed to finance early-morning physical jerks and "keep fit” broadcasts. Not long ago the staff were told that salary rises would be fewer than hitherto. Yet within a few weeks work will begin on a £1.200,000 project. This is a building scheme which will more than double the size of the present BJ3.C. headquarters. About £500.000 is to be spent immediately on making more room fir the ordinary broadcasting staff. Then, within six years, a huge television block will to added at a cost of another £700,000.

This is an interesting and prophetic plan. Originally it had been intended to keep television as a separate unit away from Broadcasting House. But now the prophets believe that television will rapidly merge into soundbroadcasting, until sound-and-vision broadcasts become the regular business of the 8.8. C. Hence the decision to incorporate the television block with the main building.

Roads For Motors Only? The heavy toll of accidents on English roads still worries the Minister of Transport. His predecessor's beacons, crossings, speed limits and other reforms have not produced the anticipated results. Mr Burgin will find much to interest him in the report of the recently returned English road delegates to Germany. That country also has a road problem, though not so difficult as that of England, and she has tackled it with characteristic thoroughness. The delegates, after their nine-day tour of inspection, were much impressed by the Autobahnen, but the introduction into England of these trunk roads reserved exclusively for motor traffic, is unlikely. For one thing the higher land values in England would greatly increase the relative cost.

Lessons From Germany But the visitors have learnt some valuable lessons. Though the long, concrete, unfenced motor-roads, with few side turnings and no frontage buildings, are inclined to be monotonous—towns and villages are avoided—it is claimed that they do not, in any way, spoil the landscape. The Germans consider that it is not the roads that deface a countryside but the accompanying posters and advertisements. Accordingly no advertising is permitted along these roads, and petrol stations are standardised.

Steel Shortage The steel shortage is being felt In all sorts of curious and unexpected ways. Plans had ben made to build the new Town Hall at Greenwich with this material, but sufficient steel being unobtainable, reinforced concrete is to be used instead. At Sadler’s Weils Theatre alterations to the orchestra pit, so as to allow more room for the instrumentalists, necessitated the use of six fee' of steel. The diversion of this quantity from its normal purpose was hardly likely to inconvenience the armament manufacturers but so acute is the shortage that it took longer to find the stec’ than to carry out the work for which it was required! The contractors were out on their estimates but they finished just in time.