EMERGENCY ACTION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 September 1939, Page 5

EMERGENCY ACTION

EVACUATION OF CHILDREN FROM LONDON & OTHER CITIES MEASURE OF PRECAUTION IN BRITAIN. HEAVY CALLS ON TRANSPORT SERVICES. By Telegraph—Press Association Copyright LONDON. August 31. The King, accompanied by the Duke of Kent, visited the Admiralty and studied the emergency measures. Activity continues at No. 10 Downing Street. The Ministry of Health announces that the evacuation of school children and other priority classes in Britain will begin tomorrow. The evacuation will take several days and will embrace'Greater London and the principal cities and towns in other vulnerable areas. It is emphasised that it is merely a precautionary measure and is not-an indication that war is regarded as inevitable. The Ministry of Health states that the evacuation will embrace Greater London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, Clydebank. Rosyth, Chatham, Gravesend, Rochester, Portsmouth, Southampton, Birmingham, Liverpool, Birkenhead, Manchester, Bradford, Sneffield, Leeds, Hull and Newcastle, and also some entire boroughs and a number of vulnerable areas in different parts of the country. The Government expresess the hope that all concerned in the receiving areas will entirely put aside every consideration of personal interest and convenience and do everything possible to contribute to the success of the great national undertaking' The evacuation will begin at 9 a.m. The road and rail services will be severely curtailed for ordinary passengers in the next few days. London children will entrain at 72 underground stations, where at certain periods it will be impossible to accept other passengers, and, if necessary, some stations will be entirely closed to the general public. A large number of irams and trolley buses will be withdrawn from the normal services for the evacuation, and the railways announce the temporary cancellation of various services and excursions. Paris reports that the evacuation of school children there has been successfully completed. A total of 400,000 children will be evacuated from 2000 schools in the London County Council area alone. Scotland Yard announces that a number of the main arterial routes from London will be one-way only from tomorrow. HUGE NUMBERS THREE MILLIONS TO LEAVE CITIES. HALF OF THE TOTAL SCHOOL CHILDREN. (Received This Day, 9.25 a.m.) LONDON, August 31. The Ministry of Health estimates that three million persons, of whom V 2 millions are school children, will be involved in tomorrow’s evacuation from England’s principal cities. The London total is 1,300,000, of whom 650,000 are school children. FOOD CONTROL INSTITUTED IN BRITAIN. (Received This Day. 9.25 a.m.) LONDON, August 31. An official order has been issued under the Defence Regulations prohibiting the acquisition and purchase of excessive quantities of .food. It is now an offence to buy more than a week’s supply of any commodity. RAID SHELTERS CONSTRUCTION ACCELERATED VOLUNTEERS CALLED UP. (Received This Day, 9.25 a.m.) LONDON, August 31. The Government has ordered the constitution of Air Raid Precaution Emergency Committees. Work on public shelters is being accelerated by working twenty-four hour shifts. Twenty per cent of the whole time A.R.P. services "are being called up, including auxiliary fire services. OPINION IN BRITAIN NEWSPAPER EDITORIALS CALM. (Independent Cable Service.) LONDON, August 31. It is not considered likely that Herr Hitler’s reply will reach London today. The newspaper editorials, continue calm, taking the view that while the negotiations are proceeding war may be averted. “The Times” says that the absolutely binding nature of the French and British pledge to Poland does not in any way preclude satisfaction being given on everything in the German case which either equal negotiation or impartial arbitration accepts as reasonable. N.Z. FOOTBALLERS LEAGUE TEAM IN BRITAIN. SERVICES OFFERED FOR DEFENCE. LONDON August 31. Within half an hour of their arrival at Harrogate today, the captain. R. King, on behalf of the New Zealand Rugby League team, offered the services of all the players for national defence. “People seem to think we have arrived at an unfortunate time,” said King, “but I am glad we landed in England, when our nation is showing what it can do. We will willingly perform any task allotted to us to the best of our ability.” The mayor of Harrogate said thatthe New Zealanders' offer would be communicated to the A.R.P. organisation.