REFUGEES FOR AUSTRALIA

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25244, 24 July 1947, Page 7

REFUGEES FOR AUSTRALIA

AGREEMENT SIGNED IN GENEVA

4000 THIS YEAR; 12,000 A YEAR THEREAFTER (NZ. Press Association—Copyright)

(Rec. 10 p.m.) GENEVA. July 23. The Australian Minister of Immigration (Mr A. A. Cal well) has signed a formal agreement between the Australian Government and the International Refugee Organisation covering the migration of displaced persons from Europe to Australia.

Mr Arthur Altmeyer. who signed for the preparatory commission of the International Refugee Organisation, said that he looked on the agreement as a model.. He hoped that other governments would see fit to follow the fine lead Australia had given. He added that Australia had a name for leading the world in social affairs and humanitarian problems.

Under the agreement. Australia will send immigration officials to Europe to select migrants without discrimination as to race or religion. Heads of family units may be accompanied by all members of their immediate family and other relatives dependent on the head of the family. The immigration officers will examine other cases “deserving special consideration from humanitarian standpoints." The migrant who goes to Australia without his relatives or dependants shall have the right to nominate kinsfolk for admission to Australia after he has lived there for three months. Because of the long voyage. Australia will make an ex gratia payment of £lO to the International Refugee Organisation foY each adult transported. Mr Calwell and Mr Altmeyer agreed that Australia would take 4000 persons in 1947 and 12.000 a year thereafter if the Internationel Refugee Organisation could supply the shipping.

WOOL DISPOSALS

DEMAND BEYOND ALL EXPECTATIONS

STOCKS HELD BY JOINT ORGANISATION

(Special Correspondent N.ZJ».A.) (.Rec. 8 p.m.) LONDON. July 23. “The estimate that it would take 13 years to dispose of the original stock of 10,500,000 bales held by United Kingdom Wool Disposals, Ltd. (known more briefly as Joint Organisation) now looks ’somewhat conservative’,” said Mr F. S. Arthur, general manager of the organisation, in a recent speech. It was now anticipated that the stock would be disposed of In a far shorter time.

The extent of the demand for wool had exceeded all expectations, he said. All indications were that by the end of June the Joint Organisation’s stocks would be about 4,500,000 bales, or less than half of the original stock. Sales in 1945-46 were 8.900,000 bales, which was the equivalent of two years’ production. For the present season there would be a current clip of roughly 4,600,000 bales, plus 1,400.000 bales from the organisation’s stock. The estimate that it would require 13 years to dispose of the organisation’s stock was made, said Mr Arthur, on )he assumption that post-war consumption of the Dominions’ wool, including restocking, would average 20 per cent, in excess of pre-war consumption. These calculations had been upset, since restocking was practically completed in the first post-war year, and to-day, only two years after the end of the war, which had worked stocks of wool in Europe down to nothing, lhe world was back to more than average pre-war holding.

<(T , > Future Consumption It is obviously too soon to say,” he continued, “what world consumption of the Dominions’ wool will average over the next 12 years. We estimated that actual consumption in 1945-46 y°uld Practically equal the average for 1934-38, and that in 1946-47 it would exceed pre-war consumption by. about 33 1-3 per cent. "Tlie liberated countries of Europe and Scandinavia have succeeded in staging a much more rapid recovery in textile activity than the United Kingdom where, through the serious depletion of its. labour force during the war in the interests of winning the i ? K du^ ry is still onl * running at about 35 per cent, of pre-war activity in primary wool-consuming processes. r “The main factors, however, in this increase of consumption relative to pre-war consumption have been the production in Australia and ?l out “ rlca cau sed by droughts, and •hedeclme in wool production in the &<»>> u «°«0MOlb to 310.000,0001 b and in the United Kingdom from 110,000,0001 b to 80,000.0001 b.

®l€ "I s ?. In U.S. Consumption Above all, there has been an inwSjV” States consumption of wool from roughly 000,000.0001 b before the war to 1.000.000.0001 b now of wool h Thii y <SS’ 000 000 lb l «i? Dominion «' wool, mis compares with an average of about 50,000.0001 b before the war fn other words, 1.600,000 bales a veS ‘ bale ? before the war. , Here, then, in United States consumption, IS largely the key to the preand the “tlureJ (Dur amounting to about 4,750,000 bales at March is of courti 2500om e K er ! tative of . Production. About a tet’°o < f , (t b hTrrJ re , Aust ralian merino. ™rw. r H d -. most 2. f “ 56 ' s finer S S “ U n ‘ d h greasy S and slipe." Zea^and

COUNTY CRICKET IN ENGLAND

EDRICH REACHES 2000 RUNS FOR SEASON mu- LONDON, July 22. i Jbere were two hat-tricks in the latest round of county cricket concluded to-day. Pope, for Derbyshtei dismissed three Nottinghamshire batsa?d Carey - f°r Sussex, got the . a Samst Glamorganshire. Edrich to-day became the first batsman to reach 2000 runs this season. He X S ™? v ® rage 10L He scored six centuries and two double centuries Results:—Derbyshire.—first innings, 411 (Butler six for 36). Second innings. 184 (Butler five for 79). Nottinghamshire, first innings. 100 (Pope six for 20 f ? r I® ooo6 inning*. 210 (Pope six for 81). Derbyshire won by 15 runs.

Worcestershire.—first innings. 116 (Pollard five for 36). Lancashire—first J»A nin §2’ 150 for two ‘Place not opt 80) The match was drawn. Middlesex.—first innings. 389 for seven, declared (Compton 129 i. Second innings. 356 for five, declared (Robertson 100. Edrich 83. Brown 76). Essex, first innings. 350 (Insole 70). Second innings, 293 (Wade not out 74). Middlesex won by 102 runs. Gloucestershire—first innings. 261. Second innings. 71 for four, declared Northamptonshire, first innings 133 (Cook five for 32). Second Innings, 115 (Cook five for 44). Gloucestershire won by 84 runs. Somersetshire—first innings, 255 (Gimblett 60: Knott six for 97). Second innings. 44 for no wicket. Hampshire. first innings, 291 (Bailey 73). The match was drawn Kent.—first innings. 223 (Gover five for 55). Second innings. 149 (A. Bedser four for 38). Surrey, first innings. 298 (Barling 107, Mclntyre 89; Wright six for 85). Second innings, 78 xor four. Surrey won by six wickets. Glamorganshire.—first innings, 290 (Dyson 118, Davies 106; Carey five for 45). Second innings. 230 for seven, declared Sussex, first innings. 145 ' Woolier five for 58). Second innings. 376 for five <Cox not out 205. Parks 96). Sussex won by five wickets. Warwickshire.—first innings. 168 (Walsh four for 34). Leicestershire, first .innings. 169 for seven 'Hollies four for 47). The match was drawn.