GOODS FOR GERMANY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20137, 5 January 1940, Page 9

GOODS FOR GERMANY

20,800 TONS DETAINED ALLIED CONTROL BASES CARGOES EXAMINED (Eloc. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (British Official Wireless.) Reccl. 9 a.m. RUGBY, Jan. 3. During the week ended December 30 the British contraband control intercepted 20,800 tons of contraband goods suspected to be destined for Germany. The total included 17,500 tons of petrol and allied products, 1450 tons of ores and metals, 600 tons of miscellaneous foodstuffs, 400 tons of oilseeds, 160 tons of cotton, 160 tons of gums and resins, and quantities of rubber, chemical products, tanning materials, timber, hides and skins. In the first 17 weeks of the war the British control has detained a total of 537,600 tons. On January 2 there were 47 neutral ships in the three United Kingdom control bases, of which 29 had been there for five days or less. The total included 20 Netherlands, 14 for five days or less; five Norwegian, two for five days or less; four Belgian, all for five days or less; four Swedish, three for five days or less, and four Greek, two for five days or less. Work of Week During tire week ended December 30 the contraband committee considered the cargoes of 122 ships which had arrived since December 23 and 20 outstanding cargoes from the previous week. The combined total included 35 Italian, 25 Netherlands, 23 Norwegian. 10 Greek, 10 Swedish, seven Belgian, six Danish, five British; four Finnish and four United States ships. In 76 cases the entire cargoes were released either on the first consideration or alter inquiries. The system under which advance copies of the manifests of cargoes are l-eccived and considered before the ships’ arrival at United Kingdom ports resulted during the week under review in 24 cases being so dealt with and, in 19 cases, of the ships concerned being released by the committee subject merely to the formal checking of the original manifests on their arrival at the control base= It is reported that during the last week in December the French Navy examined 10 vessels and intercepted 27,000 tons of goods. The total number of ships examined to date is 227, and 429.000 tons of merchandise have been intercepted.