ALIENS IN AUSTRALIA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25213, 30 April 1943, Page 3

ALIENS IN AUSTRALIA

NATIONAL SERVICE (Rec. 1 j .30 p.m.) CANBERRA, Apl. 29. Within a few weeks every alien in Australia between 18 and 60 years of age will be called upon to perform some national service. According to a political correspondent, a huge dragnet will affect at least 10,000 aliens, including Italian fruiterers and the proprietors of “ mushroom ” frock shops which have been, opened in recent months. Many refugee doctors now established in lucrative city practices are likely to be sent to centres where medical services have been depleted. Other features of the alien manpower call-up will be that most of the aliens will be sent to work with the Alien Civil Constructional Corps to be established under the Allied Works Council. Men of limited fitness will be given lighter work, such as washing dishes in hospitals. The only aliens to escape will be those holding important positions in vital industries, those with specialist knowledge essential to Australia’s security, and expert workers in rural industries. It is estimated that there are about 55,000 aliens registered in Australia, apart from those in internment camps. The Government believes that at least 10,000 of these can be more usefully employed. The authorities are particularly concerned with those aliens who appear to be establishing strangleholds on the fruit and fish retail trades. Many of them have taken over businesses vacated by Australians called up for the armed services or essential work.