RHODESIA: SALISBURY PENSIONERS ATTACK BRITISH SANCTIONS MOVE

Record ID: 355275

  • Title: RHODESIA: SALISBURY PENSIONERS ATTACK BRITISH SANCTIONS MOVE
  • Date: 5th December 1965
  • Summary: SALISBURY SCENES; PENSIONERS INTERVIEWED. TRANSCRIPTS: INTERVIEWER: "HOW OLD ARE YOU MR STRANGE?" ANSWER: "70." INTERVIEWER: "NOW, YOU HAVE BEEN RECEIVING UP TO THIS POINT A PENSION FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM?" ANSWER: "TWO YEARS AGO, WHEN THE FEDERATION BROKE, YOU SEE." INTERVIEWER: "WHAT TYPE OF PENSION IS THIS?"
  • Embargoed: 20th December 1965 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: SALISBURY -- RHODESIA
  • Country: Zimbabwe
  • Reuters ID: LVAEFZCETYJ2WYNHU4OC3C5Z4OLD
  • Story Text: MONEY DUE TO RESIDENTS OF RHODESIA FOR PENSIONS AND INTEREST ON BRITISH GOVERNMENT STOCKS, IS INVOLVED IN A FINANCIAL CLAMP-DOWN BY BRITAIN ON THE ILLEGAL REGIME OF RHODESIA.

    INVESTIGATIONS BY THE GOVERNMENT TO DETERMINE WHAT COULD BE DONE ABOUT THE PAYMENT OF PENSIONS ARE CONTAINING, FOLLOWING STATEMENTS IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS LAST WEEK BY THE BRITISH PRIME MINISTER, MR WILSON. IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT PENSIONS WERE BEING HELD BACK FOR THE TIME BEING AND WOULD BE RELEASED AS SOON AS CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT IN RHODESIA WAS RESTORED. ANSWERING CRITICISM LATER FROM THE CONSERVATIVE OPPOSITION, INCLUDING THE PARTY LEADER, MR HEATH, MR WILSON STATED THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS GOING INTO THE QUESTION OF WHAT ACTION COULD BE TAKEN WHERE HUMANITARIAN CONSIDERATIONS ARE INVOLVED, AND WHERE HARDSHIP WAS CAUSED, SO THAT ADVANCES ON PENSIONS COULD BE MADE.

    MEANWHILE, IN SALISBURY, MR WRATHALL, IN CHARGE OF FINANCIAL MATTERS FOR THE ILLEGAL GOVERNMENT, SAID THE SMITH REGIME WOULD ARRANGE PAYMENTS FOR PENSIONERS WHOSE MONEY WAS BEING BLOCKED BY BRITAIN. THERE SOME 3,500 BRITISH PENSIONERS IN RHODESIA, INCLUDING FORMER CIVIL SERVANTS, EX-SERVICE PERSONNEL, AND NATIONAL INSURANCE BENEFICIARIES. THE AMOUNT INVOLVED IS GBP500,000 A YEAR.

    PENSIONERS INTERVIEWED IN SALISBURY GAVE THEIR OPINION OF THE SANCTION MOVE (SOF).
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register