HL Deb 21 December 1915 vol 20 c766

Amendments reported (according to Order).

Clause 1:

Procedure for obtaining royal declaration that a company is an enemy company.

1.—(1) Where it shall appear to the Attorney-General that any company incorporated under and subject to the laws of some part of His Majesty's dominions is, owing to the character of its directors or of its members, or to any other cause, of a predominantly enemy character, he shall present a petition to His Majesty in Council praying that such company may be declared by His Majesty in Council to be an enemy company.

(2) Any officer or member of time company, not being an enemy of His Majesty, may enter a caveat, addressed to the Registrar of the Council at the Conned Office, against such declaration.

(3) If His Majesty shall refer any such petition to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, the said Committee shall proceed to consider the same, and any officer or member of the company who has entered a caveat shall be entitled to be heard by himself or counsel on the petition.

(4) The Judicial Committee, after considering all the circumstances of the case, shall report to His Majesty in Council.

(5) If the Judicial Committee report that the company is of a predominantly enemy character, it shall be lawful for His Majesty in Council to declare such company to be an enemy company and any ship belonging to such company shall forthwith become the property of His Majesty the King.

(6) It shall be lawful for His Majesty in Council to make rules of procedure and practice for regulating proceedings on such petitions and, subject thereto, such proceedings shall be regulated according to the existing procedure and practice of the Judicial Committee.

(7) The costs of all parties of and incident to such proceedings shall be in the discretion of the Judicial Committee.

THE EARL OF HALSBURY

I move to omit from subsection (2) the word "Registrar" and to insert "clerk."

Amendment moved— Clause 1, page 1, line 14, leave out ("Registrar") and insert ("clerk").—(The Earl of Halsbury.)

On Question, Amendment agreed to.

Then (Standing Order No. XXXIX having been suspended) Bill read 3a and passed, and sent to the Commons.