§ 39. Colonel W. THORNEasked the Minister of Blockade whether he will state definitely the date at which the Austrian Government opened negotiations for the acquisition of the Kellner-Partington interests in that country, either with the existing or previous board of directors; and why there was no reason to believe that this sale was in contemplation in December last, in view of the reply of the Treasury at the end of last November to the effect that they had licensed the 1991 sale of the Austrian properties of this company under the Trading With the Enemy Acts?
§ The MINISTER of BLOCKADE (Sir Laming Worthington-Evans)In reply to the first part of the question, I have no information as to any negotiations by the Austrian Government for the purchase of the Austrian properties before February of this year. As regards the second part of the question, the reply of the Treasury to which the hon. Member refers related to the sale of the shares in the Kellner-Partington Company to Norwegians, for which the Treasury licence was necessary because these shares carried the control of the Austrian properties.
§ 40. Colonel THORNEasked the Minister of Blockade whether he was informed that shipments of wood-pulp were made by the Kellner-Partington Company from Sweden to Switzerland; whether he can state how the journey was made and what boats carried the goods, and at what port were they discharged for their Swiss destination, and if he can state the name of the consignees?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSI presume the hon. Member refers to the shipments made by the Swedish companies controlled by the Kellner-Partington Company. As my right hon. Friend informed the hon. and learned Member for York on the 16th July, inquiry is being made into these transactions.
§ 41. Colonel THORNEasked the Minister of Blockade whether he is aware that among the pulp companies in Sweden controlled by the Kellner-Partington Company of Manchester is a firm known as the Molnbacka-Trysil A/B; that the profits of this firm for the year ending 1st October, 1915, were 740,000 kroner, and that the following year, despite an embargo by the Government of Sweden on the export of pulp to England and her Allies, the profits rose to 4,000,000 kroner; and whether he can state how that profit was made?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. I am not able to confirm the figures mentioned in the second part of the question, but I will make inquiry.
§ 42. Colonel THORNEasked the Secretary to the Treasury if he will state on what date an application was made to his Department by the Kellner-Parting- 1992 ton Wood Pulp Company of Manchester to licence the sale of their Austrian interests; and on what date was the licence referred to in the replies of November and December last granted by his Department?
§ Mr. BALDWIN (Joint Financial Secretary to the Treasury)A licence was granted on the 9th July, 1917, for the sale of the shares and debentures of the Kellner-Partington Wood Pulp Company including the control of the company's properties and undertakings in Austria, subject to the approval of the proposed purchase by the Foreign Trade Department and to the remittance to and retention in this country of the purchase price. The application in respect of which the licence was granted was dated 7th July, 1917.