§ Sir H. NIELDasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, pending the ex- 948W change of the Peace Treaty with Turkey, directions will be given to the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies to approve Armenians and other emancipated nationalities as non-enemy subjects to admit of their becoming signatories to memoranda and articles of association tendered for registration; and whether he is aware that difficulties are being raised and obstacles put in the way by officials in Government Departments whenever it is sought to advance the interests of British commerce in the new independent States created by the Treaty of Peace?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANSection 10 of the Trading with the Enemy Amendment Act, 1916, provides that where on an application for the registration of a company it appears to the Registrar that any subscriber of the memorandum of association of the company is an enemy subject he may refuse to register the company. I have ascertained that in a recent case the Registrar has refused to register a company on the ground that one of the signatories to the memorandum and articles of association was an Armenian. In this particular case the circumstances may be such that registration should be permitted, and I am in communication with the Registrar on the matter.