§ 17. Mr. PETOasked the President of the Board of Trade whether persons of Austrian or other alien enemy nationalities are employed as pilots on the Suez Canal; if so, whether he will take steps to see that this employment ceases; and whether he is aware of the number of senior officers of the British merchant service at present without employment who are qualified to undertake these duties now performed by alien enemies?
§ Mr. PRETYMANThe Board of Trade have no control over the employment of pilots on the Suez Canal.
§ 32. Sir RICHARD COOPERasked the I Home Secretary if August Schmidt. of Wakefield, is a non-naturalised alien of military age, and has he been exempted from internment and supplied daily with a permit by the Wakefield police to drive a motor car beyond the five mile radius; if so, will he state what special circumstances have led to such exemption from internment?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. Brace)Schmidt is a German, aged 32, of long residence in this country and British sympathies. He is reported by the police to be a hard-working, well-conducted man, and he was exempted from internment on the advice of the Advisory Committee, two British-born householders becoming sureties for his good conduct. When his employment took him more than five miles from his place of residence he was granted the necessary permit by the Wakefield police, to whom he always reported both before and after his round.
§ Sir R. COOPERIs it the fact that this man is not naturalised, that he is a German, and that he must conform to the regulations pertaining to enemies in this country?
§ 33. Sir R. COOPERasked the Home Secretary if Mr. G. E. Andrassy, of Thorne Lane, Wakefield, is an enemy alien; is he naturalised; is he a contractor to the Government; and, if so, why is he exempted from internment or repatriation?
§ Mr. BRACEMr. Andrassy is a German by birth and has not been naturalised. He has been resident in this country for thirty-nine years and has no German connections. He makes tents on War Office orders, and if he had been interned this country would have lost the benefit of his work. He was exempted from internment on the recommendation of the military authorities and of the Advisory Committee.