HC Deb 16 July 1918 vol 108 cc869-71
3. Sir JOHN BUTCHER

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that part of the assets of the Kellner-Partington Wood Pulp Company consist of large industrial works at Barrow, and that these works, together with the other assets of the company, are entirely under the control of foreigners who bought up all the shares in the company; and whether the negotiations for the sale of these works at Barrow, which were referred to in an answer given by him on 20th November, 1917, to the hon. Member for Merthyr Tydvil, have been completed and these works sold to an English company?

Lord R. CECIL

The answer to the first part of the question is substantially in the affirmative. As regards the second part, the statement in the answer to the hon. Member for Merthyr Tydvil, to which my hon. and learned Friend refers, was made on the authority of one of the late British directors of the company, who was principally concerned in the sale of the shares. I have been in communication with this gentleman as to the position of the negotiations for the resale of the Barrow works, but cannot discover that much progress has been made. I am inquiring further, and I will endeavour, as far as lies in my power, to expedite the matter.

Sir J. BUTCHER

Was not one of the reasons why this House was asked not to interfere with the sale of the Engish company that the English works had been placed under the control of an English company?

Lord R. CECIL

I think my hon. and learned Friend is perfectly right in that. In the statement I certainly—on the authority I mentioned—did convey that impression to the House, and I earnestly hope it will be carried out.

4 and 5. Sir J. BUTCHER

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) whether he will obtain from the Kellner-Partington Company, or otherwise, information as to the disposal of the pulp produced by the Swedish works of that company during the past year, and will state to what country or countries such pulp, distinguishing the different kinds, has been sent; what steps have been taken to secure that no part of this pulp shall be sent to, or shall reach, Germany; whether any part of this pulp has, in fact, reached Germany; (2) whether he can state, approximately, what has been the output of pulp, distinguishing the different kinds, produced by the Swedish works of the Kellner-Partington Wood Pulp Company during the past year; and whether any part of such products has been sent to and has reached this country?

Lord R. CECIL

The Kellner-Partington Company have been requested to furnish the information desired by my hon. and learned Friend. As regards the second part, I would refer my hon. and learned Friend to the replies returned to numerous questions by himself and other hon. Members in the latter part of last year. As regards the third part, certain allegations to the effect that pulp has been exported to Germany since the date of the assurances obtained from the Norwegian purchasers of the Kellner-Partington Company shares are under investigation. My most recent information tends to show that the exports in question were to Switzerland, and not to Germany.

6. Colonel W. THORNE

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if, as stated on page 792 of the "Board of Trade Journal," the Kellner-Partington Wood Pulp Company have entered into a partnership with the Austrian Government for the working of the factories at Hallein and Hillach, and a company is to be formed, of which the Austrian Government will hold two-thirds and the Kellner-Partington Company one-third of the shares; whether negotiations for this purchase were under consideration in December last; whether the Kellner-Partington Company is still an English company, with registered offices at Newmarket Lane, Manchester; and what action he proposes to take in the matter?

Lord R. CECIL

The statement of the Austrian newspaper quoted in the "Board of Trade Journal" is substantially correct. As regards the second part of the question, I have no reason to believe that the sale of the Austrian factories to the Austrian Government was contemplated in December. The answer to the third part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the fourth part, it was represented to His Majesty's Government in February last that the Austrian Government, who had requisitioned the factories at the beginning of the War, and were therefore already in possession of them, were threatened to sell them up. In these circumstances, we were asked and agreed to authorise the Norwegian interests in question to negotiate an arrangement for the sale of the factories upon the terms of payment by the Austrian Government of 9,250,000 crowns and 4,000,000 crowns worth of shares in a new Austrian company, payment to be made one year after the end of the War.