BRITISH DEFENCE

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20465, 4 April 1938, Page 7

BRITISH DEFENCE

OUTLAY OF OVER £1,500,000,000 FORMIDABLE AMD GRIM TASK SPIRIT OF BRITISH PEOPLE (Official Wireless) RUGBY, April 2 The Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence, Sir Thomas Inskip, in a j speech last evening said he could not be satisfied with the progress made j with the defence programme until he saw his designs completed. That, j however, did not mean that good proI gress was not being made. I The expense of the programme was | familiar to familiar, it i was no secret that the figure of | £1,500,000,000 was likely to be ex- ; ceeded. It was a formidable and a grim task to anybody who had to foot the bill, but he saw no sign of flinching in the nation. j “We may made our grimaces when . we note the sum it is going to cost,” J said Sir Thomas. “ but I have not seen a single complaint that we are spend--1 ing too much. That is the spirit of the J British people.” GAS-MASKS FOR CIVILIANS ASSEMBLY OF 30,000,000 THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN I'nlted Pres 3 Assn. —Elec. Tel. Copyrlgb LONDON, April 3 The Government has assembled 30,000,000 light-weight, fool-proof gas marks for civilians. A further 10,000,000 will be ready by the summer. They are made in three sizes, including one for children down to four years old. No mask has yet been made for babies, but a gas-bag protector for them is being perfected. The masks enable the wearers to breathe for five hours in the midst of any known war gas. They cost half-a-crown to make. The Government will I not issue them unless it thinks war is imminent. AIR RAID PRECAUTIONS PROTECTION OF WATER SUPPLY BILL TO BE INTRODUCED <Official Wireless) RUGBY, April 2 Special attention is being given by ’ the Metropolitan Water Board to the Question of protection of the London water supply in the event of air raids. The Home Secretary, Sir Samuel Hoare, has expressed the desire on behalf of the Government to assist in every way possible, and the Government will introduce in the near future j a bill to legalise expenditure incurred by statutory undertakings on air raid j precautions. ' As to the proportion of expenditure to be borne by the State, it might be assumed that a substantial part of the cost would be met out of the national funds and in these circumstances the Home Secretary saw no reason why the board should not immediately proceed with its scheme. The proposal was subjected to some criticism at the board meeting yesterday on the ground that action before the expenditure was legalised might, put the board in a difficult position. As a result of a conference of local authorities in Middlesex, an air raids precaution advisory committee for the county has been sot up. Progress is being made in other parts of Britain to establish similar organisations. Large industrial and other concerns are preparing plans for the protection of their property and plant.