BRITISH DEFENCE

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20786, 22 April 1939, Page 7

BRITISH DEFENCE

PROTECTION EMPIRE

SUPPORT OF GOVERNMENT OFFER BY BUSINES MEN (United Pres# Asm.— Flee. TeL Ca»yetf%e) IvCWDON, April 20 “We are prepared to support the Prime Minister with our lives,” declared Sir Charles Gibson, M.P. (Conservative, West Riding), at the in nil meeting of the Association of British Chambers o-f Commerce. He added that .they were pledged to the fullest financial assistance in order to support any policy Mr Chamberlain recommended designed to protect the Empire and defend the liberties of Britishers against direct or indirect attack. AIR RAID PRECAUTIONS DEEP BOMB-PROOF SHELTERS UNDERGROUND SYSTEM REJECTED .United Press Aa.«n.—Elec. Tel. Copjrngdt) LONDON, April 20 The decision of the BrTUsh Government, taken on the advice of experts, that it would be a mistake to attempt to provide deep bomb-proof shelters on a general scale, was announced in the course of a statement on the deep shelter policy in the House of Commons to-day by the Minister of Civil Defence, Sir John .Anderson. The Government would, however, press on with its schemes for providing for the largest possible number sf shelters against blast, splinters and j tiling debris, said the Minister. He disclosed that already over 300,00® of the Government's steel shelters, capable of accommodating in all about 1,500,000 people, had been distributed, and it was expected that distribution would henceforth proceed at an accelerated rate. In the meantime, technical advice would be afforded to industrialists and others for heavily-protected shelters where there seemed to be a case for providing them for certain key points and certain vital servioes. Result of Tests The report of the conference of experts on which the Government decision had been taken, Sir John said, was completed after teste had been carried out on the problems of deep shelters. The experts had rejected bombproof shelters because of the diversion of effort from active to passive defence, the difficulty of constructing a shelter system which would guarantee speedy and sufficient access, sod the time required in construction. ROYAL AIR FORCE STRENGTH EXCEEDING PLANB CIVIL DEFENCE MATTERS (Official Wireless) (Received April 22, 11 a.m.) RUGBY, April 21 Captain Balfour, speaking at Broadstairs, said: “This week we received eutIstlcs of our aircraft, and I can say that the strength of the Royal Air Force is to-day exceeding our plans." All local authorities In England. Wales and Scotland have been asked, on behalf of the Government, to arrange that priority is given to civil defence matters over all other business for the next three months. THE AIR ARM SECOND TO NONE (Official Wireless) (Received April 22, 12.30 p.m.) RUGBY, April 21 Captain Balfour, Parliamentary Secretary for Air, in another speech at Liverpool, said: "Although our Air Force is young, it is second to none.” They might ask, he proceeded, was all well with the air defences of the country? His reply was: “We are never contented, but we are progressing satisfactorily. •’ Captain Balfour mentioned that ths balloon barrage scheme was not Intended as a form of air raid protection for the civilian population but to protect vital industrial targets by preventing selective bombing. METALB FROM DOMINIONS SUPPLY TO HOSTILE COUNTRIES (Independent Cable) (Received April 22. 11 a.m.) LONDON, April 21 Mr A. Edwards will ask Sir Thomas Inskip in the House of Commons on April 25 whether lie is aware that increasing quantities of essential metals in being supplied to b tstfle countries by the Dominions, Jeopardising the safety of the Empire. PERMANENT CAMPS USE IN PEACE AND WAR (tlnited Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, April 20 The principal business of the House of Commons to-day was consideration in committee of the Government's Camp Bill, which gives facilities for the provision of permanent camps for school use in peace time and evacuation purposes in war through Hie agency of non-profit-making company**