BRITAIN ARMS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23516, 2 June 1938, Page 11

BRITAIN ARMS

AMERICAN AEROPLANES PURCHASE CONSIDERED PROBABLE SPEEDING UP PRODUCTION (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph— Copyright) LONDON, June 1. (Received June 1, at 5.5 p.m.) The Daily Herald says that British air experts, who have returned from an investigation in the United States, advise the Air Ministry to buy American aeroplanes. It is almost certain that the purchase of 300 training planes and bombers will result. Two American aircraft makers have arrived in London to discuss contracts. At a meeting of the Birmingham City Council an application on behalf of Lord Nuffield, supported by the Air Ministry, to purchase 130 acres of land at Tyburn, Birmingham, for the purpose of a factory for the manufacture of military aircraft, was considered. There was an overwhelming majority in favour of selling the land to Morris Motors, Ltd., and the council undertook to support a formal resolution to that effect in due course. The decision will facilitate the urgent preparations of Lord Nuffield 'to implement the undertaking he has given the Secretary for Air (Sir Kingsley Wood) to assist in production under the Government’s air expansion programme. Conference With Workers The Amalgamated Engineering Union, one of the largest unions concerned, from the workers’ side in the arms industry, discussed at a conference at Mordcombe an appeal addressed to the two sides in the industry by the Prime Minister (Mr Neville Chamberlain) and the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence (Sir Thomas Inskip) that they should co-operate to facilitate acceleration of production. The conference rejected a motion refusing under any conditions to pledge the union’s support of the Government’s arms programme. The conference later passed a resolution approving of the action of the executive in the negotiations to date with Sir Thomas Inskip and the employers, and underlining the importance of close scrutiny of any demand for the weakening of union safeguards, such as dilution of skilled labour, which the resolution declared would be unnecessary. INFORMATION REFUSED GOVERNMENT’S PLANS LONDON, May 31. Arising out of Sir Thomas Inskip’s conscription speech last night, Mr Chamberlain, in the House of Commons, refused a request by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr C. R. Attlee) to publish a White Paper setting out the measures contemplated for wartime service. Mr Chamberlain said the plans would be presented to Parliament if and when the occasion arose. He denied that Sir Thomas Inskip had stated that a Conscription Act was in existence. • Mr Wedgwood Benn quoted Hansard. ~ X 1 Mr Chamberlain said the position would be cleared up later if an opportunity arose.