MOST GAPS FILLED

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 30, 6 February 1939, Page 7

MOST GAPS FILLED

BRITAIN’S DEFENCES RAPID ACCOMPLISHMENT [ British Official Wireless. ] RUGBY, Feb. 3. The state of Britain's rearmament programme and civilian defence preparations were the subject of important statements in the House of Commons to-day. The first of these statements was contained in a letter to the Prime Minister from the panel of industrialists set up to advise in connection with industrial aspects of rearmament which Mr. Chamberlain read in the House. The panel declares that the service departments, supported by the Treasury, are rapidly accomplishing a very difficult task of great complexity with efficiency and foresight, even to the extent in some cases of establishing new industries in the country. The panel feels that the magnitude of Ihe effort being made is not sufficiently realised by the country as a whole. Regarding the deficiencies which were found to exist in the defence equipment of the nation at the time of the crisis in September, the panel says that on the figures submitted to it. it feels that most of these gaps have been filled or are being filled as rapidly as possible. The panel is satisfied that the whole-hearted co-operation of industry in the rearmament programme has been forthcoming, and cites as an example the close co-operation between the Air Ministry and the aircraft industry as a result of which there has been so marked an increase in the rate of production of aircraft. Hospital Accommodation In the course of a Parliamentary answer on the organisation of medical services in connection with civil defence, the Minister of Health, Mr. Walter Elliot, stated that plans had been made for finding 200,000 beds in existing hospitals in the first 24 hours of an emergency.

Regarding transport for ambulance work, the London County Council,- he said, had 1200 commercial vehicles earmarked for ambulance service, and 800 others would se so earmarked quite soon.