GIBRALTAR POWER

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19376, 14 July 1937, Page 6

GIBRALTAR POWER

POSSIBLE THREAT GIANT GERMAN GUNS QUERIES IN COMMONS AVA R ill NIST E R R ETIOENT SPANISH REBEL PLANS (Eli'C. Tel. Copyriglit United Press Assn.) (Reed. July 14, 1.40 p.m.) LONDON, July 13. Replying to Mr. Geoffrey L. M. Mander (Liberal, Wolverhampton East) in the House of Commons, the Secretary for the Dominions, Mr. Malcolm MacDonald, said that the Imperial Conference had not considered the question of the effect of Italian and German control of Spain, including submarine bases and aerodromes, on Empire communications. Mr. Mander asked why not, in view of the vital importance of keeping the Mediterranean communication open.

Mr. MacDonald: I think the Dominions are capable themselves of raising these matters.

Another questioner asked if the Dominions took no cognisance of the fact that Gibraltar was now dominated by German guns. There was no answer.

The Secretary for War, Mr. L. HoreBelisha, said he was unable definitely to inform a questioner whether German experts had mounted loin. Krupps guns or 12in. howitzers opposite Gibraltar. The questioner bluntly asked: “Is Gibraltar out-gunned and liable to destruction?”

Mr. Hore-Belisha referred him to the reply given last Monday as conveying all the information in the possession of the Government. The Foreign Secretary, Mr. Anthony Eden, then said lie understood that General Franco, the Spanish rebel leader, had installed batteries on the coast, but his information would not bear out reports that German experts had assisted in mounting the batteries.

SUGGESTIONS REFUTED FOREIGN ACCUSATIONS ATTITUDE OF BRITAIN ARMS SUPPLIES DENIED (British Oflicinl Wireless.) Reed. 1.15 p.m. RUGBY, July 13. In view of the statements in certain foreign quarters designed to reflect upon the British Government’s impartiality on the Spanish issue it is authoritatively stated in London that at no time can war material be exported from Britain except under special license, and that since the civil war began in Spain no such license has been granted for export, directly or indirectly, to Spain. It has been alleged in particular that arms were carried to Bilbao during April <and May. Eighteen British ships visited Bilbao ill April and the cargoes. consisted solely of foodstuffs, general merchandise and coal. In May only six British ships visited Bilao, all of which complied with the supervision procedure. The Foreign Secretary, Mr. Anthony Eden, to-day discussed the Spanish situation, particularly the question of a settlement of the non-intervention crisis, with the Ambassadors of France, Germany, Italy and Russia, but the British proposals for a settlement of the non-intervention deadlock were not revealed to the Ambassadors. They will he ready to-morrow and will be handed simultaneously to the representatives of each of the States which arc members of the committee. They will not he published before Thursday morning and will be submitted to the committee on Friday.

NURSES FOR SPAIN NEW ZEALAND PARTY AUST RALI A N INT BREST (Per Proas Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. Mr. E. W. Hunter, the secretary of the Spanish medical aid committee in Dunedin, has received a letter from Sister Shadbolt, the leader of the New Zealand party of nurses which left recently to proceed to Spain. The letter describes the voyage in the Mooltan as far as Fremantle and discusses the interest taken in various parts of Australia in Spanish relief work. Sister Shadbolt says that the secretary of the Spanish relief committee in Sydney wrote telling the New Zealand party that since their visit the funds had increased considerably. Over £2OOO had been collected in Australia for a nursing unit. They had not troubled about sending out any further medical assistance as the chief worry appeared to be the purchasing of food for the Spanish people.

While cn route from Sydney to Melbourne, according to Sister Shadbolt, “some fool of a man fold Mrs. Sharpies that the Mooltan had been bombed two trops ago (a plane flew overhead when passing the Bay of Biscay) and he thought the publicity we were getting was imperilling the safety of the other passengers. This was most amusing, but I would like to meet the gentleman personally.” In another part of her letter Sister Shadbolt says: “So many people still seem to think that we are being sent over by the Government and cannot understand it as Britain still professes non-intervention.”

She briefly mentions entertainments throughout Australia in honour of the New Zealand party and attendance at numerous meetings and lectures in connection with Spanish relief.