GERMAN PRISONERS

Grey River Argus, 26 August 1946, Page 8

GERMAN PRISONERS

ASSET TO BRITAN. MANPOWER QUESTION. LONDON, August 22. There still are nearly four hundred thousand German war prisoners in Britain. According to the “Daily Telegraph’s” political correspondent, the Cabinet recently decided that all the fit prisoners should be kept in Britain at least until after the harvest. Others, who are engaged in reconstruction work may be kept longer. In any case, there will be no largescale repatriation until prisoners are assured of useful productive work in their own country. The coz-respon-dent adds that in the present circumstances, German prisoners are an asset to the taxpayer, whereas they might well become a liability if repatriated. Ministry of Labour returns just issued disclose encouraging trends in the British manpower situation. They record the first substantial drop in unemployment figures since the end of th e war, good progress with de-. mobilisation, and a steadily increas- j ing labour intake in both export and home industries. Between June 17 and July 15 unemployment figures dropped to 359,334, a decrease of 16,883. The most substantial decreases were in Wales and the north of England, where unemployment has been rising since the end of last year. The net intake of workers into industry during the first six months of the present year was 1,004,000, and the number of workers in both export and home production fields is now only 700,000 fewer than the normal pre-war levels. . Britain’s total working population at the end of June was 20,232.000. which is 482,000 more than the total employed in June, 1939. Duiing June the number of men and women ir the forces and auxiliary services decreased by 216,000, bringing the total number released from the services in the last 12 months to approxiniately 2,000,000-

JOINTS AND MUSCLES ACHED J AND PAIN. Why go on like that when you can get relief on a “benefit or no cost Sis with R- U - R ’\£ V^X S attX i-pt has the guarantee plainly R U.R assists in relieving rheumatism, neuritis, sciatica, lumbag . It’s the “five food, health reare ty. Numerous testimonials insnection at any time R-U.R. (N.Z? Ltd., 141 Cashel St., Ch. Ch.