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MANCHESTER EYEWITNESS
WEEK NUMBER 49 SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6TH, 1947


Mr Winston Churchill received the Freedom of the City yesterday in a flower-bedecked Town Hall. The Lord Mayor, Miss Mary Kingsmill-Jones, and other civic dignitaries were present as Mr Churchill was honoured by a "proud and happy" city of Manchester. Mr Churchill, who has many local connections, said he had visual memories of Manchester from 40 years previously.

On Saturday Mr Churchill addressed a rally of 14000 Conservatives from Lancashire, Cheshire and Westmorland at the Kings Hall, Belle Vue. The speeches were relayed into an adjacent football stadium, where a further 8000 were listening. Mr Churchill said "the country is in the worst peril I have known". The cause of the peril, he continued was "Socialism, that is to say, the subsitute of state control by officials instead of by private enterprise."

He predicted that a quarter of Britain's population of 48 million would have to disappear, either by emigration or other means, due to "a lowering of standards of food and comfort in conceivable in the last 50 years."

35 year old Miss Jean L Stewart was appointed Inspector of the new Salford Womens' Police Force on Monday. Her first job will be to enrol a force of 2 sergeants and 20 constables. The characteristics required are: preferably single, 22-26, broadminded, understanding, good mixer and sense of humour. The salary is £4 14s a week plus allowances.

Alexander Aberdein, Chief Constable of Salford announced a new flood warning plan similar to air raid warnings during the war. States of alert are colour-coded:

WHITE: All's well; YELLOW: River rising rapidly; PURPLE: Flooding possible; RED: Flooding.

It is hoped that the system will enable Salford residents to be better prepared the River Irwell threatens to burst its banks. People can telephone the police on DEA 4242 for aid and info.

Exchange and Victoria Stations are to be merged under a revised "Manchester Plan". London Road is to be replanned and moved closer to the city centre. Originally, two stations - London Road, and a brand new station name Trinity, were planned.

The basic petrol ration came into force last weekend, and on Piccadilly car park this week there were noticeably less cars than the previous week.

Special checks are being made at Ringway and the Docks. Customs believe that international gangs are attempting to flood the country with money, gems and other valuables. They fear a new note issue intended to defeat black marketeers.

Despite the fact that Ringway is becoming a mamor centre for civil aviation in northern England, the level of facilities there leaves a great deal to be desired. The small waiting room is hopelessly inadequate, and accommodates only 12 people. Plans for an extension were cancelled when it became known that the Government would take over the airport.

An escape of ammonia fumes from the Manchester patent Ice Company plant at Boardman-street, Ardwick, drove workers out of their offices. NFS men used oxygen breathing apparatus to shut off a valve.

Patrick Lawrence Fallowes, 24, who escaped from Strangeways Prison on November the 10th, was sentenced to a further three years at Manchester Assizes.

Fog and frost reduced Halle audiences on Sunday night, and the next day, 220 workers downed tools at Furnivals printers, engineers in Stockport because of cold temperatures inside the plant. An official said a new boiler was not working at full pressure. The bad weather also delayed the new Liverpool Manchester London air service. The luxury Dakota was delayed by four hours.

The forecast is for light east and variable wind, cloudy and dull, local rain, mist and fog patches. Temperature 42-45 degrees.


SOME OF THE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES THIS WEEK

Mr Malcolm McCorquodale, Conservative, won the Epsom by-election on Thursday with an increased majority.

Turmoil in France continues, as the communist-led strike leads to fighting at pits and trains sabotaged.

There is violence in Jerusalem and the Holy Land as Arabs protest en masse against the UN Partition decision.


Text by Aidan O'Rourke

Based on reports in the Manchester Evening News

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