HC Deb 04 March 1936 vol 309 cc1357-9
8. Mr. DAY

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty when the last quantity of boat oars manufactured in the United States of America for use in His Majesty's ships were purchased, together with the cost of same, and why relations by the withdrawal of the heads of missions from Rome in connection with the present dispute, in accordance with the eleventh Resolution adopted by the Assembly of the League of Nations on 4th October, 1921?

Viscount CRANBORNE

No, Sir.

87. Miss RATHBONE

asked the Secretary for Mines what have been the quantities of petroleum and other fuel oils exported to Italy or for the use of the Italian forces by the Anglo-Iranian Company and the United States, respectively, during each of the past five months and during the same five months 12 months previously?

The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of TRADE (Dr. Burgin)

I have been asked to reply. As the reply contains a statistical statement, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Following is the reply:

these boat oars are not made in the Royal Dockyards?

The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the ADMIRALTY (Lord Stanley)

The last contract for oars manufactured in the United States of America from American ash was dated October, 1935. The total value of the ash oars purchased was about £13,000, inclusive of the import duty. It would not be economical to manufacture oars from American ash in His Majesty's Dockyards, owing to the difficulty of selecting suitable logs and to the high cost of importing the timber, much of which would be cut to waste in the process of manufacture. Extensive trials have been made, but no British timber has been found suitable for the particular purpose for which ash oars are required.

Mr. DAY

Cannot ash suitable for oars be purchased in this country?

Lord STANLEY

Not ash of the exact quality that we require.

Mr. DAY

Were inquiries made in the West Country and in Ireland?

Lord STANLEY

Inquiries were made everywhere to see whether we could find British timber that was suitable, but we could not do so.

Mr. KIRKPATRICK

Have we tried colonial or Empire timber?

Lord STANLEY

I said British timber.

Mr. LOUIS SMITH

Could the timber not be imported in a rough state and the oars be made by private firms in this country?

Lord STANLEY

I have already said that that is unnecessarily expensive. We could employ men in the Dockyards more remuneratively.

Mr. SMITH

What about private firms?