§ 113. Mr. GWYNNEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether the shares of H. R. Merton and Company, Limited, held by the Metal-Gesellschaft at the commencement of the War have since been acquired by H. R. Merton and Company; and if a certain interest in these shares is now held by German-born subjects in this country, so that the German influence has only been partly eliminated?
§ Mr. PRETYMANI am informed that out of the total number of 29,029 shares of Henry E. Merton and Company, Limited, acquired from the Metal-Gesellschaft and the Metallbank by British subjects 2,675 shares were acquired by six naturalised British subjects of German origin. One of these shareholders was naturalised in 1907 and the others before 1903. In addition to the above, 1,501 shares were purchased by naturalised British subjects subsequent to the exchange.
§ Mr. GWYNNEIs my hon. Friend going to put an end to this farce of transferring shares from one German to another?
§ Sir E. CARSONIs not the result that the shares are really with Merton's still?
§ Mr. PRETYMANWith Mertons?—yes, certainly.