HC Deb 26 November 1917 vol 99 cc1616-8
23. Mr. YEO

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether celluloid prepared from sulphite wood-pulp is extensively used as a substitute for aluminium in the construction of Zeppelin aircraft; whether in the preparation of aeroplane cloth for Gotha and other machines there is used a composition, the basis of which is a textile febric woven from paper yarns manufactured out of wood-pulp; whether, as profits were made by Sweden in shipping chemical wood-pulp to the munition factories of Germany, he will consider the danger of allowing the control of a concern like the KellnerPartington Wood Pulp Company to pass into foreign hands at the present juncture; whether he has considered the effect of increased powers and facilities for Zeppelin and aeroplane construction on the part of the enemy upon the people of East London at the present moment; and whether he realises that the undertaking given by the Government of Norway that none but Norwegian shareholders shall control the new undertaking is entirely worthless as a guarantee that the output of the works will not be forwarded indirectly, if not directly, into enemy hands?

The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of BLOCKADE (Mr. Leverton Harris)

I am not conversant with the details of the construction of Zeppelins and aeroplanes, but I find it difficult to believe that celluloid could take the place of aluminium in the former. As regards the last part, it was not suggested that the undertaking in regard to the future allocation of shares constituted a guarantee regarding the disposal of the output of the works. The guarantees on the latter point are entirely distinct from the Norwegian Government's undertaking in regard to the former.

24. Mr. YEO

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that the last filed accounts of the Kellner-Partington Wood Pulp Company reveal the fact that there are £900,000 of holdings in other companies, mostly Swedish; that, apart from the output of Gorregaard Works, Norway, directly owned, there is a further output capacity of 60,000 tons annually of chemical wood pulp, leather boards, alcohol prepared from sulphite lye, and other materials of great enemy value, and that this production takes place within the territory of Sweden, whose commercial policy has been of great value to the Central Empires since the declaration of war; and whether he will state the manner in which the Government of Norway, when giving him assurances that these goods would not pass into enemy hands, or the new purchasers, when giving an undertaking not to sell to enemy purchasers, propose to restrain the managers of the Swedish works so as to effectually prevent the above output from passing into enemy hands?

Mr. HARRIS

In answer to the question generally, I would refer the hon. Member to the answers returned to questions addressed to the Ministry of Blockade and other Departments by the hon. Members for South West Ham, Merthyr Tydvil, and the Ludlow Division, on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday last week. As regards the last part, I have no doubt of the ability of the Norwegian Government to ensure the fulfilment of the undertaking given by them. The Norwegian purchasers will not be less able to control the management of the Swedish factories than were the British Directors of the Kellner-Partington Company.

25. Mr. YEO

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that the ordinary shares of the Kellner-Partington Wood Pulp Company were quoted at 78s., and the buyers propose to pay £6 each for the same, together with considerable advantages both to debenture and preference shareholders; that even with allowance for advantages in the rate of exchange this is not a payable proposition, and that it can only become so on the basis of enemy transactions or by forming a ring in the world's supply of wood pulp; whether he is aware that Germany is so short of textiles that she is diluting the materials for military uniforms with paper yarns and cellulose prepared from wood pulp; and whether, in view of the enemy need of these products, he will, before finally consenting to transfer the company to foreign control, appoint a small Committee to take evidence on the matter?

Mr. HARRIS

In answer to the question generally, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer returned to questions addressed to the Ministry of Blockade and other Departments by the hon. Members for South-West Ham, Merthyr Tydvil, and the Ludlow Division on Monday. Tuesday, and Wednesday last week. As regards the third part, I believe it is true that there is a shortage of textiles and the yarns usually used therefor in Germany, and that paper yarn is used as a substitute for many purposes, but is not generally satisfactory.