TOUR OF BRITAIN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 December 1939, Page 5

TOUR OF BRITAIN

IMPRESSIONS OF MASTERTON PEOPLE AIR RAID SHELTERS SEEN EVERYWHERE. HUGE EXCAVATIONS IN HYDE PARK. Impressions of a recent visit to England and Scotland were given to the ‘•Times-Age” by Mr and Mrs C. W. Dickason, who have just returned to Masterton after a tour extending over six months. They left New Zealand in April and arrived in England on May 16. (It was 32 years since Mrs Dickason last saw London and needless to say. she was greatly impressed with the vast changes that had taken place in that time. Before the outbreak of war Mr and Mrs Dickason were able to enjoy several months in touring England and Scotland. They were astonished at the wonderful roads for motoring, even one-way lanes being sealed. Among the places they visited or events seen were the Royal Winter Show at Windsor, the Lakes in Cumberland, the military tattoo at Aidershot, the Derby and a big Rover Moot at Edinburgh. Passing on to refer to war conditions, Mr Dickason said there were air raid shelters everywhere, enough for everyone to receive shelter underground. One motor factory which employed 9000 had a huge shelter to accommodate the whole stafl' and that was typical of other factories. Hyde Park had a big pit, caused by taking soil for the filling of sandbags, which had been banked up again buildings in London and elsewhere, to a height of about 20ft in many cases. New Zealand House had all its windows boarded up and the outside walls sandbagged. In some places, tarpaulins had been placed over the bags to protect them from the weather The bags had risen in price from 3d to lOd. At night, searchlights lit up the sky in London. Many people did not like the blackouts, as they had never previously known what darkness was like. It was wonderful how the traffic was handled under these conditions. Women in uniforms were to be seen in every direction. No matter how old they were, all the women wanted to do something. One woman they knew was 67 years of age and she did four hours aid raid warden duty every day. Only skeleton staffs were beingmaintained in London business houses, the others having been transferred Io the country. While in England, Mr and Mrs Dickason spent several days with PilotOfficer Frank Long, of Masterton. They also brought back with them a copy of the “Sunday Graphic" of September 17, in which appeared an illustration of a signed menu card for the farewell dinner aboard the ship conveying a party of New Zealand airmen to England. Among the signatures on the card were those of PilotOfficer Long and of Pilot-Officer Edwards. Pilot-Officer Edwards was taken prisoner in Germany a day or two after the war started.

Mr Dickson said he had never seen better crops than those he saw in England and Scotland. New Zealand lamb was exceptionally well advertised in England. Every butcher’s shop carried advertising matter relating to New Zealand lamb, which sold at Is Id to Is 3d per lb. New Zealand butter was in great demand. When he arrived in England it was selling at Is 2d per lb but when he left it was Is 7d. the price fixed by the Government. He found meat to be very dear. Is lOd and 2s per lb being asked for steak. He saw a 2-year-old heifer sold for £33 and a fat cow for £l7. .Mr and Mrs Dickason had intended visiting the Continent before their return to New Zealand but the outbreak of war prevented this. They left England on October 21 and had an uneventful trip to New Zealand.