§ 27 and 28. Mr. STEWARTasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) whether the liquidation of German firms in Hong Kong has been in process for over two years; if so, what is the reason for this delay; will the benefit of the continual rise in market prices eventually be given to the estates of the German firms interested; and (2) whether the registration of five trade marks for one German firm and sixty trade marks for another German firm was renewed by order of the Hong Kong Government within the last three months; and, if so, what is the object of this procedure; and can His Majesty's Government give an assurance that the benefit to be derived from such registration will not accrue to German subjects?
Mr. BONARLAWI have no information as to the number of marks renewed in Hong Kong. The Governor has been instructed to place enemy-owned trade marks under the control of the Government and to retain them under Government control till the end of the War. Meanwhile, these marks are being kept off the market, as, owing to local conditions, they cannot be sold in Hong Kong as in other Colonies. Instructions were given to liquidate the enemy firms in Hong Kong as rapidly as possible consistently with the interests of non-enemy creditors of the firms and of the state of the market. I have no reason to suppose that this is not being done, but I have asked the Governor to send me a report The balance of the proceeds remaining after liquidation will be in the hands of the Government, and its ultimate disposal will 771 not be settled till the conclusion of peace, and will presumably depend on the action taken by the enemy in regard to Allied private property in enemy countries.