CARRYING CONTRABAND ARMS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2501, 14 May 1909, Page 5

CARRYING CONTRABAND ARMS.

SMUGGLING INTO AFGHANISTAN OLD ARMS USELESS FOR SHOOTING. United Press Association —Copyright LONDON, May 12. A caravan of 40 came’s, with contraband arms and ammunition for Afghanistan, traversed Seistan. MELBOURNE, May 13. With reference to the smuggling of arms into Afghanistan, the Minister for Defence states that before selling the old rifles the barrels were burnt and otherwise treated so as to render them ineffective for shooting purposes. He felt sure the rifles referred to in the cable were not bought in Australia, at least since the Federation of tho States. In military circles the opinion is held that the only possible chance of tho rifles being Australian is that they arc so old as to have been put out of use "long before the Federation era.

CHRISTCHURCH, May 13. Referring to the recent cable messages dealing with smuggling old rifles, amongst them some old rifles from New Zealand, to hill tribes m India, Sir Joseph Ward states that so far as lie is aware the reference must be to some old rifles that were returned to England some years ago from the Dominion It was understood at the >anie that they went to a manufacturing firm in England, and that the English authorities were duly advised of tins. It was further understood that the rifles were not to go out of England. bn .Joseph has given definite instructions that 110 rifles that go out of use 111 Now Zealand are to bo sold for exportation to England or any other, country.