BASQUE PORTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22708, 21 April 1937, Page 13

BASQUE PORTS

REBEL INVESTMENT QUESTIONS IN COMMONS LABOUR DISSATISFACTION By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received April 20, 5.5 p.m.) British Wireless RUGBY. April lii The Foreign Secretary, Mr. Eden, the president of the Board of Trade, Mr. Runciman, and the First Lord of the Admiralty, Sir Samuel Hoave, were questioned to-day in the House of Commons in regard to the situation arising from the insurgent effort to blockade the Basque ports. At the end of Sir Samuel Hoare's replies the Leader of the Opposition, Major C. E. Atlee, expressed dissatisfaction and gave notice that he would raise the subject on the motion for an adjournment tomorrow. The moving of an adjournment on any other question on the day of the Budget is a most unusual procedure. Channel Through Minefields

The most important of the statements made by Sir Samuel was that the reports received from Vice-Admiral 6. Blake, who is in command of the battle-cruiser squadron, read together with reports received from the other authorities concerned, had confirmed the view that the Spanish insurgent authorities had established an effective de facto blockage of Bilbao. Until about a month ago reports showed that the Spanish authorities had attempted to maintain a swept channel through tho minefields into Bilbao, the Minister added, but he could not say whether they had in fact found it possible to continue this operation in the face of the superior insurgent forces.

Trench Government in Agreement Air. Eden said General Franco's blockade and warning had nothing to do with the decision taken by the British Government. He also informed the House that the French Government had been kept fully informed of the British attitude and he had no reason to suppose that on its broad lines the French policy disagreed. The French Government had advised Mr. Eden that it would not allow interference with French ships on the high seas, and that a local situation would not arise with them as they had no ships going to Bilbao. In his reply Mr. Kunciman said four British vessels had left Bilbao in the past week, Sir Samuel Hoare adding that as far as he was aware no attempt was being made by the insurgents to prevent the departure of ships from Bilbao.