DEFENCE SUPPLIES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 33, 18 November 1938, Page 5

DEFENCE SUPPLIES

REQUIREMENTS OF BRITAIN. DISCUSSION IN THE COMMONS. SPECIAL MINISTRY OPPOSED.

(United Press Association—Copyright.) (Received This Day, 9.5 a.m.) LONDON, ..November 17. The debate on the Address-in-Reply will be concluded in the House of Commons to-night. 7 . Mr Chanfberlain to-day replied to the discussion on the Liberal amendment calling for the creation of a Ministry of Supply “both to secure efficiency and to prevent waste and profiteering.’’ The Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence (Sir Thomas. Inskip) reiterated the views previously expressed by the Government spokesman on the proper sal for a Ministry of Supply. He contended that the establishment of such a Ministry would not be helpful and might be definitely harmful. He claimed that industrial circles with a knowledge of the supply needs of defence were not in favour of the proposal. Sir Thomas Inskip’s case was again based on the distinction between peace-time and war-time conditions and the fact that in peace-time a Ministry of Supply could not be given the compulsory powers of the old Ministry, of Munitions. COMPULSORY REGISTER MOOTED LONDON, November 16. Newspapers r.eporf that Cabinet will consider in the morning, the advisability of a compulsory national register. The political ' correspondent of ’the “Daily Telegraph” says that because of the volume of support for the proposal among Government members of the House of Commons, Mr Chamberlain will probably agree to T ,