§ 111. Mr. R. MCNEILLasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the list of companies and firms which have been gazetted by the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia as enemy companies and firms; whether he is aware 589 that the list includes the following companies and firms, namely: S. Albrecht and Company, Australian Metal Company, Australian Thermit Company, Julius Blau and Sons, August Blumenthal, A. Berwin and Company, Bosch Magneto Company, Bohler Brothers and Company, Colonial Casing Company, Continental Caoutchouc and Gutta Percha Rubber Company, Export and Import Company, Falk, Stadelmann, and Company, Foreign Agency, German Australia Steamship Company (Deutsche-Australische Damp-schiffe Gesellschaft), Thomas Goldschmidt, Gemeinhardt Hunsdorfer and Company, Grice, Grice, and Son, Hamburger and Company, Hammar and Company, G. Hardt and Company, Kirchner and Company, W. B. Ledeboer and Company, Lehmann and Company, Henry R. Merton and Company, Merton Metallurgical Company, Norddeutscher Lloyd, Polack Tyre and Rubber Company, Poldi Steel Works, Reiss and Company, Conrad William Schmidt (F. A. Glaeser), Eugen Schroder, Siemens Brothers Dynamo Works, Standard Woollen Company, Steffens and Noelle, Sterling Telephone and Electric Company, Stevedoring and Shipping Company, Tudor Accumulator Company, Union Electric Company, Union Electric Company of Australia, Usines Electrochimiques the Hafslund, Williams Foster and Company and Pascoe Grenfell and Sons, Welsbach Light Company of Australia, and A. Wulfing and Company; whether any and, if so, which of these companies and firms carry on business in this country through branches or agencies; whether any of them have contracts with the Government; and whether the Government intend to continue doing business with companies or firms declared to be enemies in Australia, or to permit them to continue trading in the United Kingdom?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Pretyman)I am sending the hon. Member a list of the companies and firms referred to in his question which were known to have been carrying on business in this country either directly or through branches when the Trading With the Enemy (Amendment) Act, 1916, was passed. All those cases which are within the provisions of Section 1 of the Act have been dealt with either by requiring the business to be wound up or by vesting the enemy interest in the Public Trustee for sale to British subjects. I am having inquiries made to ascertain the 590 position of any of the remaining firms which may be carrying on business in this country.
§ Sir E. CARSONCan a company or firm be an enemy in a Colony and a friend here?
§ Mr. PRETYMANI suppose it may depend to some extent upon the conditions under which the persons were carrying on the business and upon the ownership in the two parts of the Empire.
§ Mr. McNEILLWill the Government publish the list of the firms which have been declared enemies in any of His Majesty's self-governing Dominions, in order that people in this country may avoid trading with them?
§ Mr. PRETYMANI will consider that.
§ 116. Colonel GRETTONasked the President of the Board of Trade how many enemy companies and businesses ordered to be wound up have in fact been wound up to date; how many such companies and businesses remain to be wound up; and how many controllers are employed under the Board of Trade in winding-up enemy businesses.
§ Mr. PRETYMANIn approximately half of the 362 cases in which orders have been made requiring enemy businesses to be wound up the winding-up is complete apart from the collection of some outstanding book debts. One hundred and seventy-six controllers are employed in the winding-up.