FEAR OF RAIDS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 January 1942, Page 4

FEAR OF RAIDS

WEALTHY SYDNEY PEOPLE LEAVE SANCTUARY IN COUNTRY. BOOM PRICES BEING PAID. While the New South Wales Government was discussing plans for the evacuation of children from Sydney should danger from air raids arise, wealthy refugees and other well-to-do people sought sanctuary in mountain and country towns, states an exchange. The exodus began immediately Japan entered the war, some of the refugees including Germans who had been interned and released. They went to towns usually popular with Sydney people as holiday resorts, and are paying exorbitant rents, or have bought homes outright at‘•boom prices. Numerous foreigners were among those who went to Bowral (70 miles from Sydney on the Southern highlands), crowded out its guest houses and hotels. The owner of a large house was offered 20 guineas a week for it furnished. A house valued normally at £lOOO was sold for £l4OO. A guest house reported that it had refused 20 applications for bookings. Owners Who had not expressed any desire to sell were offered big prices. At Mittagong, near Bowral, not a home is available for sale or rent. Only a few of those who are crowding the town have children, and they are paying up to eight guineas a week for furnished cottages. Many wealthy persons took rooms on long leases “just in case.” One man paid cash in advance for a six months’ lease of a room. He told the owner he would probably never live in it.

The general contempt felt for the “runaways” was expressed by the Minister for National Emergency Services, Mr Heffron. “This is no time for panic,” he said, “and those who, because of their wealth, are rushing off to the country and are refusing to play their part in this crisis, may be warned that both the Federal and the State Governments have very great powers to requisition buildings. If the need arises we shall exercise these powers to provide homes for evacuee children. The unfair use of their wealth will avail these people very little if and when, in the national interest, we require the homes just purchased by those selfish people. The safety of our women and children must take precedence over everything else.”

Mr Heffron said that it was not intended at present to introduce compulsory evacuation. That would only be done if it were recommended by the military authorities. The Government was working on an ordered plan of evacuation, details of which would be announced later. Meanwhile voluntary evacuation of children will be encouraged.