ARMS INQUIRY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 100, 8 February 1936, Page 5

ARMS INQUIRY

TRADE IN SECOND-HAND GUNS. BRITISH RIFLES ON CONTINENT. ABANDONED AFTER GREAT WAR. United Press Association —Copyright) (Received This Day, 9 a.m.) LONDON, February 6. Sir Harry McGowan (chairman of Imperial Chemicals, Ltd.),\ continuing his evidence at tho Arms Inquiry, said he thought that foreign Governments would object to the disclosure of the business that Imperial Chemical Industries, Ltd., were doing with them, and personally he did not think it would help the cause of peace. It was a fact that the export of poison gas to Italy had been prohibited. Sir Harry agreed that no license was necessary for the export of raw material for explosives and poison gas. No attempt had been made during the present crisis to stop exports. Captain Ball, of the /Soley Armament Company, was questioned about the trade in second-hand arms. He said there were large quantities of British rifles stocked on the Continent. For instance, the British abandoned 50,000 rifles in Italy after the war. Sir Philip Gibbs said he happened to know how many applications for the export of arms on behalf, of the Soley Company had been refused by the British Government. Captain Ball said that personally lie did not know, but there had been quite a number. The inquiry was adjourned.