FURTHER CUT IN BRITISH ARMED FORCES IS LIKELY

Greymouth Evening Star, 4 October 1947, Page 6

FURTHER CUT IN BRITISH ARMED FORCES IS LIKELY

LONDON, October 3.

“The Government has by no means made its last announcement on the reduction of the armed forces,” said rhe Paymaster-General (Mr H. A. 'Marquand) in a speech today. “Oui’ withdrawal from Palestine must eventually result from our decision to put the matter to the United Nations. We shall be withdrawing all along the line.” According to the Daily Mail and the Daily Express, the Cabinet, after discussions with the service chiefs, yesterday decided to make cuts in the armed forces to save many millions of pounds a year. Details will be announced when Parliament reassembles.

Heaviest on Army

Both newspapers say the heaviest cuts will fall on the army. Naval strength is not likely to be seriously affected, but economies may be made by putting some overseas bases on a “care and maintenance” footing. The National Joint Advisory Council, representing employers and trade unionists, next week wall consider details of the Cabinet’s plan to take manpower from wholly unproductive trades into those held to be essential.

It will also, according to the political correspondent of the Daily Telegraph, discuss the absorption into industry of a large number of men and women expected to be released £ro.m the armed forces in the near future.

Division of Opinion

Most of the Ministers, among them the Minister of Labour (Mr George Isaacs), hold the view that the maximum number of workers shoud be employed in production rather- than distribution, but others, including the Minister of Food (Mr John Strachey) say that persons such as “barrow boys,” who do no productive work, also fulfil a useful, function. They think that such people should not be diverted from their present activities. |