CONTRABAND CONTROL

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 November 1939, Page 8

CONTRABAND CONTROL

DEFINED BY MINISTER.

[BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS]

RUGBY, October 31. Asked in the House of Commons in what way the British operations 1 fell short of the rules of blockade as 1 defined by international law, the Minister for Economic Warfare (Mr. R. H. Cross) said the essence of a blockade was the prevention of all ingress to and egress from the blockaded coast or place, irrespective of the nationality of the ship or the origin, nature, ownership or destination of its cargo. “The British Government has not declared any blockade of Germany.” Mr. Cross said. “However, it has instituted a system of control over the imports of contraband into Germany, directly or through neutral countries. This is considered effective to prevent the passage to Germany of articles useful for the prosecution of the war.” REPLY TO RUSSIAN PROTEST (Recd. Nov. 2, 1.40 p.m.). LONDON, November 1.

The Minister for Economic Warfare', broadcasting, gave what is tantamount to a reply to Russia’s protest against the inclusion of food in, the British conditional contraband list.

He said: The blockade is one of our most-powerful weapons, particularly to-day, when whole nations, and not only armies, are mobilised for war. In our considered opinion, the treatment of food as conditional contraband is an essential element of economic warfare, which would be seriously weakened without it. To except certain goods would merely prolong the war. Of the total seizures thus far, about 14 per cent, could normally be classified as foodstuffs, of which nine per cent, contains fats and oils, which could be used by Germany for munitions. The remainder intercepted, namely, 86 per cent., could be used for war purposes. Prolonging the •war unnecessarily would be incomparably crueller than exercising economic pressure.

REGULATION OF IMPORTS.

RUGBY, November 1.

A Board of Trade order, coming into force on November 2, requires that goods imported from a number of European countries must have a certificate that they are not of enemy origin, and that there is no enemy interets in them.

The order does not apply to goods which left the last place of consignment before November 5, and a number of commodities are exempted, including all foodstuffs, feeding stuffs for animals, numerous raw materials, newspapers, periodicals, books, personal effects, certain samples, and bona fide gifts.

EQUIPMENT FOR CHILE.

NEW YORK, November 1.

The Santiago correspondent of the United Press reports that Britain and France have agreed to allow the passage through the blockade of 20,000,000 pesos worth of German equipment for the Chilean State railways.