BRITAIN'S LEADER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24414, 27 September 1940, Page 8

BRITAIN'S LEADER

"•HAS ..''STOLEN THE SHOW" BOMB SHELTERS IN LONDON AUCKLAND DOCTOR'S VIEWS " There is no question about the solidity of the people of Britain under Mr Churchill's leadership; in fact, as a leader, he has ' stolen the show ' from Hitler already," said Dr E. B. Gunson in an interview on his return to Auckland after more than a year in don. Public feeling when he left Britain, Dr Gunson continued, was markedly different from that which prevailed in the last days of the Chamberlain Government. Opinion in London, as he gauged it, had nothing against Mr Chamberlain personally, but everyone seemed to be very nervous, particularly while so many Germans were still at large, and suspected groups, like Sir Oswald Mosley's,, were being allowed to express their, views with a great deal of freedom. New Political Order At this stage various, forthright utterances by leading men in the dominions especially. Canada, had a very good effect. When Mr Churchill took charge and formed his Cabinet of all the talents, including Mr Chamberlain, confidence was fully restored and had never since been shaken, but was now stronger than ever, It was very generally held that a new political order would emerge from the war, and that the old party alignments would not be seen again. Just what the new order would be like no one was bold enough to predict, but that it would be different from the old was almost taken for granted. Speaking of the bombing of London, Dr Gunson said that although it had not begun when he left, he obtained a slight idea of it from conditions in Liverpool, which had received earlier attentions from the Germans. It was quite clear that all the air raid precautions taker, in London before the war had been fully justified and most wisely planned. Air Raid Shelters Recent developments showed that; those who last year demanded more deep shelters hi.d been 'right, but the provision made by the authorities was very good. The public shelters in streets and squares were hot proof against direct hits, but were excellent protection against blast and splinters. A great deal had been .done in the way of strengthening the basements of large city buildings. The ceilings of these had been thickened with reinforced concrete and steel beams, supported on steel columns, so that they could withstand even the fall o'f the structure above. It was quite easy to'understand the announcement that this method was to be extended to the basements of large Victorian houses m the residential districts. These were most solidly built, and would give a large measure of safety. The small Anderson shelters for backyards had proved very effective in Liverpool before he left. The removal of hospitals from London to the country in the early days of the war was likely to be permanent, Dr Gunson said. It had upset medical teaching at first, but he believed that this would be adjusted to the new conditions. The treatment of wounded soldiers was entirely under civil control. an o the advantages of the system had been evident since the evacuation from Dunkirk.