EMIGRATION POLICY

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 193, 13 May 1944, Page 7

EMIGRATION POLICY

Reviewed By Britain

(By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Special Correspondent.)

LONDON, May 11. The British Government is understood to have reviewed its policy toward emigration from the United Kingdom after the war since it made its approach to the Dominions Governments over a year ago. Britain is now planning for full employment after the war to regain her position as one of the world’s leading industrial and commercial countries, and will not encourage large-scale schemes involving the departure of a number of young people. 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. By good conditions of work, and 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 subsidized policy is regarded as unlikely. This altered view may. cause disappointment, particularly in Australia and Canada, which 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. New Zealand’s declared policy of lehabilitating her men and women in the forces before considering migration policies, is well understood and appreciated here, and it is believed that both the British and New Zealand Governments will be sympathetic to the wishes of any British troops who have tought alongside the New Zealanders to emigrate to New Zealand should they desire to do so.