LATE NEWS

Southland Times, Issue 24234, 18 September 1940, Page 5

LATE NEWS

AUSTRALIA TO BUY FLYINGBOATS (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received September 18, 2 a.m.) MELBOURNE, September 17. The War Cabinet decided today to purchase from America 11 P.B.Y. fly-ing-boats at a cost of £1,000,000. The Prime Minister, Mr R. G. Menzies, said that delivery was expected to begin before the end of the year. The machines would take the place of 20 Sunderlands ordered in Britain last year but which were later handed to the British Government as a Coastal Command unit.

Each P.B.Y. has a maximum speed of 205 miles an hour, carries a crew of six and is highly suited for long-range patrols. RELIEF OF AIR RAID VICTIMS The Commonwealth Government is sending £500,000 direct to London for the relief of bomb victims. Victorian subscriptions now total £150,000 and money is still coming in at a fast rate. EFFECT ON HEALTH OF USE OF , SHELTERS LONDON, September 17. The Times says that Lord Horder has been appointed chairman of a Government committee to investigate the effect on health of the present use of public shelters, where there is much overcrowding because of the . increasing use of them as dormitories. Sir John Anderson, the Home Secretary, is investigating the possibility of using the tube railways as shelters providing the movement of trains is not hindered. People are beginning to resort to the undergrounds as shelters after buying tickets. Steps are being taken to discourage the movement of people from communal and garden shelters to larger shelters elsewhere while smaller shelters are left almost empty. The Government is also giving attention to the problem of housing a large number of homeless people.