SAFEGUARDS SOUGHT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 May 1939, Page 7

SAFEGUARDS SOUGHT

SALE OF BRITISH SHIPS ABROAD ■LEGISLATION PROMISED. REQUIRING FIRST OFFER TO GOVERNMENT. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, May 2. The President of the Board of Trade, Mr Olivei- Stanley, was asked in the House of Commons today if he would take steps to prevent the sale of British ships likely to be involved in hostilities against Britain and whether the companies who had thus sold ships would be eligible for a grant under the provisions of the shipping subsidy. Replying, Mr Stanley said that legislation would be introduced as soon as possible to require that any vessels which the owners wished to scrap or sell abroad should be offered to the Government in connection with the scheme for a reserve of tonnage. At present the Board of Trade had no power to require this, but, as had been previously stated in the House, in the existing circumstances the Board preferred that ships should not be sold abroad and shipowners had been circularised asking them to inform his department m good time before the completion of any transaction for the disposal or United Kingdom tonnage to foreign ownership. “I am considering the possibility of asking Parliament to give my department the widest discretion in dealing with applications for grants for shipbuilding,” said Mr Stanley, “and I shall keep a careful record of any sale abroad which may be made and of the circumstances connected with it.” GERMAN MERCANTILE SHIPPING. (Received This Day, 9.40 a.m.) BERLIN, May 3. Germany’s mercantile marine increased by 189,200 tons in 1938 to 4,348,132 tons, which is 83 per cent of Germany’s pre-war tonnage. HITLER ADVISED TOLD TO TURN ON HIS AXISSHIPPING DIRECTOR’S COUNSEL. (Received This Day, 9.40 a.m.) LONDON, May 3. At the launching of the Prince of Wales, by the Princess Royal, Mr R. Johnson, Managing Director of 'the Cammell Laird Company said: “If I were in Herr Hitler’s shoes and heard of the wonderful speed with which we are turning out ships, I would turn on my axis. I don’t believe Herr Hitler is such a fool as to attack us.”