§ 10. Mr. BUTCHERasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the fact that at the outbreak of war R. Staehr, an alien enemy resident in Berlin, held 3,600 £5 shares of the Great International Plate Glass Insurance and Cleaning Company, Limited, out of a total issue of 5,407 shares, and that the business of the company was being carried on mainly under the control and for the benefit of an enemy subject; whether he is aware that since the outbreak of war the greater part of R. Staehr's shares were transferred to Max Otto Kuehn, a German by 693 birth and naturalised in this country in 1913, who now holds 5,100 shares of this company; whether the Board of Trade has power to cancel this transfer and to wind up the business of the company; and, if not, whether he will introduce legislation so as to enable the Board of Trade to deal with cases of this character?
Mr. ROBERTSI am aware of the facts relating to the transfer of shares of the Great International Plate Glass Insurance and Cleaning Company, Limited, which purport to have been sold compulsorily under powers contained in the company's articles of association. The case of this company was considered by the Advisory Committee, who advised the Board of Trade that it was a case in which the provisions of Section 1 of the Trading With the Enemy Amendment Act, 1916, should not be enforced. I will consider whether any amendment of the law is desirable.
§ Mr. BUTCHERMay we expect that legislation to meet this and similar urgent cases will be introduced as soon as possible?
Mr. ROBERTSI can only say that this and kindred matters are receiving the serious consideration of my right hon. Friend the President.