HC Deb 15 December 1919 vol 123 cc18-9
13 and 14. Mr. NEIL MACLEAN

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) to whom was paid the proceeds (£2,050) of the sale of the assets of the Hop Extract Company, Limited; whether Mr. James Fabian, the official receiver, advanced his private money to meet the liabilities of the company; if so, whether such practice was in accordance with the usual procedure;

(2) whether he is aware that Mr. James Fabian, official receiver of the Hop Extract Company, Limited, in a sworn affidavit in July, 1917, in support of an application for leave to sell the plant and assets of the Hop Extract Company, Limited, stated that losses were made and liabilities incurred; whether he will state who made the losses and by whom the heavy liabilities were incurred as stated therein; whether Mr. Fabian gave a written or oral guarantee that he would return to the solicitors of Miss Lilian Scott Troy, an American citizen, her twenty £100 debentures with blank transfer on condition that she did not oppose the sale of the Hop Extract Company, Limited, at a Court held in June, 1917; and whether he will order these said debentures to be returned to her?

Sir A. GEDDES

Mr. James Fabian is not an Official Receiver, but, as I informed the hon. Member on the 24th November in answer to his previous question, Mr. James Fabian was, on the application of Miss Lilian Scott Troy, appointed by the Court Receiver for the holders of the 1st Mortgage Debentures of the Hop Extract Company, Limited. The assets of the company were dealt with by Mr. James Fabian under the direction of the Court, and the Board of Trade have no information as to the matters referred to, nor have they jurisdiction to take any action.

Sir F. HALL

Could the right hon. Gentleman not obtain that information? Is it not in the archives of the Board of Trade?

Sir A. GEDDES

No, it is not in the Board of Trade archives. If it existed, it would be in the archives of the Treasury, and before I answered the question I inquired of that Department and they have not got it.

Sir F. HALL

Will the right hon. Gentleman take steps in order that the house may have this information, as it is of the atmost importance?

Sir A. GEDDES

It would require a new Act of Parliament to get the information.

Sir F. HALL

Why?

Sir A. GEDDES

Because there are no powers to get it at the present time.