▁the ▁time ). ▁The ▁United ▁Kingdom - Austral ia ▁Free ▁and ▁Ass isted ▁Pass age ▁Ag re ements ▁became ▁active ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 7 . ▁Ad ult s ▁would ▁only ▁pay ▁ ▁towards ▁their ▁passage , ▁and ▁children ▁aged ▁ 1 4 – 1 8 ▁would ▁be ▁charged ▁. ▁A ▁sh ipping ▁short age ▁hand ic apped ▁the ▁program ▁until ▁ 1 9 4 8 , ▁but ▁from ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁to ▁ 1 9 5 8 , ▁of ▁ 4 5 7 , 8 9 8 ▁migr ants ▁moving ▁from ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁to ▁Australia , ▁ 6 8 % ▁received ▁assist ed ▁passage . ▁In ▁this ▁period ▁the ▁British ▁represented ▁about ▁a ▁third ▁of ▁all ▁migr ants ▁to ▁Australia . ▁The ▁peak ▁years ▁of ▁assist ed ▁British ▁migration ▁to ▁Australia ▁were ▁between ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁and ▁ 1 9 5 2 . ▁ ▁In ▁order ▁to ▁address ▁labour ▁short ages , ▁the ▁Australian ▁Government ▁also ▁decided ▁to ▁use ▁another ▁source ▁of ▁imm igr ants : ▁the ▁mass ▁of ▁Dis pla ced ▁Pers ons ▁in ▁Europe . ▁In ▁July ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁an ▁agreement ▁was ▁reached ▁with ▁the ▁United ▁Nation ' s ▁International ▁Ref uge e ▁Organisation , ▁which ▁would ▁provide ▁the ▁ships ▁to ▁deliver ▁a ▁minimum ▁of ▁ 1 2 , 0 0 0 ▁Dis pla ced ▁Pers ons ▁per ▁year . ▁This ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁assist ed ▁passage ▁scheme ▁for ▁non - B rit ish ▁migr ants . ▁The ▁migr ants