NO MIGRANTS TO SPARE

Grey River Argus, 13 May 1944, Page 4

NO MIGRANTS TO SPARE

BRITAIN’S POPULATION LONDON, May 11. The British Government, it .is understood, has reviewed its policy towards emigration from the United Kingdom after the war sinch it made an approach to the Dominion Governments over .a year ago. It is borne in mind that the United Kingdom faces a fall in population during the coming years and will, therefore, be unable to afford the loss of its greatest asset, youth and skilled labour. Britain is now planning for a policy of full employment after the war to regain her position as one of the world’s leading industrial and commercial countries, and will ot ecourage large-scale schemes involving the departure of numbers of young people. By good conditions of work, pay and hours of leisure Britain will do her best to make the country as attractive as possible to keep the younger generation at home. This does not mean that Britain will place an official ban on the movement from Britain of people with sufficient means, but emigration, as a national subsidised policy, is regarded as unlikely. This altered view may cause disappointment, particularly in Australia and Canada, who have repeatedly expressed official hopes that their population will be enlarged by the arrival of people from the United Kingdom and it remains to be seen whether the Dominions’ Prime Ministers will be able to influence the British Government in favour of some modified scheme of assisted migration. f New Zealand’s declared policy of rehabilitating her men and women now in the forces before considering migration policies is well understood and appreciated here. It is believed the British and New Zealand Governments will be sympathetic to wishes of any British troops, who have fought alongside New Zealandei’s, to emigrate to New Zealand