WORK FOE WAR PRISONERS

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23495, 25 November 1941, Page 8

WORK FOE WAR PRISONERS

QUESTION FOR AUSTRALIA PROVISIONS OF CONVENTION (0.C.) SYDNEY. November 17. The question of putting war prisoners in Australia to work is being considered by the Minister for the Army, Mr Forde. It was twice debated by the previous Government and rejected. Provisions governing the employment of war prisoners are laid down by the international convention, signed at Geneva on July 27, 1929, Germany, Italy, and Australia being among the parties to it. The terms of the convention are that prisoners must work under the same conditions as civilians doing similar work, and must be paid according to the rates for soldiers doing similar work. , Providing their work has no direct connexion with war operations, they may work in prisoners-of-war camps, in labour detachments away from camps, or for private employers by agreement with the military authorities. The relevant clauses of the convention are:—"Belligerents may employ as workmen prisoners of war who are physically fit, other than officers and persons of equivalent status, accord • mg to their rank and their ability. Nevertheless, if officers or persons of equivalent status ask for suitable work, this shall be found for them as far as possible. “Non-commissioned officers who are prisoners of war may be compelled to undertake only supervisory work, unless they expressly request remunerative occupation. “During the whole period of captivity, belligerents are required to admit prisoners of war who are victims of accidents at work to the benefit of provisions applicable to workmen of the same category under the legislation of the detaining Power. “Work done by prisoners of war shall have no direct connexion with the operations of the war. In particular, it is forbidden to employ prisoners in the manufacture or transport of arms or munitions of any kind, or on the transport of material destined for combatant units. It is forbidden to employ prisoners of war on unhealthy or dangerous work. Conditions of work shall not be rendered more arduous by disciplinary measures. "Conditions governing labour detachments shall be similar to those of pri-soners-of-war camps, particularly as concerns hygienic conditions, food, care in case of accidents or sickness, correspondence, and the reception of parcels. “Prisoners of war shall n.ot receive pay for work in connexion with the administration, internal arrangement, and maintenance of camps. Prisoners employed op. other work shall be entitled to a rate of pay, to be fixed by agreements between the belligerents. “The pay which remains to the credit of a prisoner shall be remitted to him on the termination of his captivity. In case of death, it shall be remitted through the diplomatic channel to the heirs of the deceased.”