§ Brigadier-General CROFTasked the Home Secretary (1) if he can give the names and nationality of the partners of the firm of Goldstuck, Hainze, and Company, on the 1st August, 1914; the names and nationality of the members of the firm as reconstituted after the outbreak of war, and any subsequent changes which have taken place in the firm; and the present position?
(2) Whether, with regard to the Order, dated 18th January, 1919, revoking Orders under the Defence of the Realm Regulations by which partners and employés of the firm of Goldstuck, Hainze, and Company were excluded from the docks and wharves of London and other ports in the United Kingdom, he will give the names of any members of the firm of enemy nationality who were listed in the Orders now revoked; whether the Orders are revoked in respect of such enemy subjects; if he can say on whose application the revoking Order was issued; and if it is proposed to issue similar individual Orders in respect of each firm which was prohibited from trading under the Defence of the Realm Regulations?
Captain GUESTMy right hon. Friend has asked me to answer these questions. Upon the 1st August, 1914, the names and nationalities of the partners of the firm of Goldstuck, Hainze, and Company were as follows:
After the reconstitution of the firm by deed of partnership upon the 4th August, 1914, the names and nationalities of the partners were as follows:
- D. Rechner, Hungarian.
- J. Panzer, Austrian.
- J. Hainze, Bohemian.
- H. Siepmann, German.
- Henri Goldstuck, French.
- John Kahn, Russian.
- Francois Van Bree, Belgian.
Henri Goldstuck, John Kahn, Francois Van Bree, and Sidney Gutman (British born).
The business carried on by the new firm was conducted under official supervision, so far as it continued at all, and this firm was dissolved as from 1st January, 1918, since when Mr. S. Gutman has been carrying on a similar business under the inspection of the Board of Trade. This is the present position, and the authorities are satisfied that S. Gutman's 910W business is carried on upon his own behalf alone, and that there are no grounds for the appointment of a Supervisor. The names of members of the original firm who were of enemy nationality, and were listed in the orders now revoked, were Messrs. Rechner, Panzer, Hainze and Siepmann, and I understand that none of these persons are now resident within the United Kingdom. The revocation was not the result of any application, but was effected in consequence of directions recently issued by the Army Council that Orders made under Defence of the Realm Regulation No. 14 should now be cancelled unless reasons based upon present grounds of national safety could be put forward for their retention. All cases of proposed revocation are dealt with upon this footing.