Homes and Shelters for Londoners
Last Friday two Special Commissioners were appointed by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Home Security for the London Region—one, Sir Warren Fisher, to deal with the restoration of damaged roads and utility services ; the other. Mr. Henry Willink, to supervise arrangements for the care and rehousing of people made homeiess oy air-raids. In maiung provision for people bombed out of their homes it is essential that the London area should be regarded as a single unit, and that there should not merely be closer co-ordination between the services of the different local authorities, but compulsory powers exercised by a central authority to enforce co-operation. The resources of all London must be available, and quickly, for the benefit of sufferers in any part of London. Mr. Willink*s statement last Monday showed that he is aware of the fact that rest shelters, which are provided for emergency use but not for protection against raiders, must be quickly cleared ; and they can only be quickly cleared if more permanent residences and shelters in suitable districts have already bees prepared for reception in such a way that voluntary workers can quickly take charge of the sufferers and help them in to new quarters. It is satisfactory to learn that the problem of providing shelters for all the London oonulation is at once to be taken in hand by Admiral Sir Edward Evans, who is one of the London Regional Commissioners for Civil Defence. and that it will be his tack to provide protected sleeping accommo- dation, with heating and sanitation, on a large scale.
Previous page
