STILL IN FRANCE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 September 1941, Page 6

STILL IN FRANCE

ABOUT SIX THOUSAND BRITISH j SUBJECTS. ■ CONDITIONS OF INTERNMENT. From details available in London, the number of British still in France is about 6,000, but of these some 4,000 are interned, the majority near Paris. Those not interned are living, of course, in unoccupied France, but their situation is likely to grow more precarious, and all who can get away are leaving. Some are too aged to feel they can travel with safety or brave the climate of Great Britain, at least during the winter months, and loath to leave the Riviera they have hung on, hoping as people will, that some favourable change will come about. News from the unoccupied zone has been coming through, though not with great frequency. From occupied France news rarely comes out, so strict is German control. One wonders whether we in Great Britain are as strict regarding correspondence of enemy subjects still here. There should at least * be reciprocity of treatment. Messages of twenty words, exclusive of address, can now be sent through the Red I Cross. The largest concentration camp where British are interned is at St. Denis, which is just north of Paris, but it is only fair to say that there have been no complaints of harsh treatment. In February there were still 2,000 British subjects at liberty in Paris, but they have all since been interned. At St. Denis, the interned have a canteen where extra comforts may be purchased. Friends in this country have the consolation of knowing that the American authorities are seeing to it that no internee is without funds. Each internee may receive and send two letters a month. The Britishers left behind are not forgotten by former members of the British Colony in Paris now safe back in England, who have formed a committee for British Subjects Evacuated from France, with headquarters at 66 Whitcomb Street, London W.C. 2. No praise can be too high for the devoted work of this committee, who while looking after former British residents of Paris now in Great Britain, are doing everything they can to trace people left in Frarfbe and unite friends and families. A monthly tea is held, which is attended by former British residents of Paris.