TRAFFIC IN ARMS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 57, 19 February 1935, Page 5

TRAFFIC IN ARMS

BRITISH COMMISSION Investigations To Be Made EXTENSIVE POWER CONFERRED (Hritieh Official Wireless.) (Received 10, 12.30p.ui.) KUGBI, Feb. 18. Mr Hanisuy MacDonald announced in the House of Commons that Sir John Eluon Haukes, formerly Lord justice ot Appeal, would be chairman oi the Royal Commission on Traffic in Arms, lue other members, would be Sir Thomas Allen, Dame Rachael Urowdy, Sir Philip Gibbs, I’rolessur Gutteridge, Sir Kenneth Lee and Mr J. A. Spender The terms of the reference are:— To consider and report upon the practicauUlty anu uesn ability, both num a national ami international point of view, ot the adoption (1) oy the Unitcu Kingdom alone anil (2) by the United Kingdom in conjunction with other countries ot the world, of the prohibition of the private manufacture of trade in arms and munitions, and the institution of a State monopoly of such manulacture and traile. To consider and report whether there are any steps wllich can usefully be taken to remove or minimise the kinds of objections to which private manufacture is stated in article 8 of the covenant of the League of Nations. To be open to examine present arrangements in force iu the United Kingdom relative to the control of the export trade in arms and munitions, and to report whether these arrangement* require revision aud if so in what directions. The Royal Commission will be appointed unuer the usual form of warrant, giving powers to call persona beloio them to give evidence, to call lor information in writing and to call lor aud examine documents. Sir John Simon stated that the British Government had welcomed the United States proposals for the regu latiou and control of the manufacture of and trade in arms, and had accepted them as a basis for discussion. The Bn tish Government would have certain modifications ot and additions to tuv American draft to put forward during the deliberations at Geneia of the com mittee, which held its first meeting lust Thursday.