Lieut.-Colonel MALONEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the case of the British Staff of the liquidated enemy banks, such as the Deutsche Bank, who are being dismissed by the Senior Official Receiver of the companies in liquidation; whether he is aware of the hardships due to loss of employment and loss of prospects which this entails; and, if so, what steps are being taken to ensure that these men are being adequately compensated?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANThe answer to the first part of this question is in the affirmative. In October, 1919, the Senior Official Receiver applied to the Court for directions with regard to certain claims for compensation made by certain members of the staff of the Deutsche Bank. The Court decided that authority could not be given for the payment of those claims. The Judge, however, intimated that he was prepared to consider an application by any particular member of the staff for compensation if he could submit grounds showing that he had a claim under the terms of his contract of service. The members of the staff were so informed, but up to the present time no one has made an application to the Judge. After further consideration of the matter, the Senior Official Receiver has again applied to the Court for authority to make some payment by way of compensation to those 2109W members of the staff who had completed 25 years' service before July, 1918. It is anticipated that this application will come before the Court in the course of this month. The Senior Official Receiver is also obtaining the opinion of counsel as to whether those members of the staff who contributed to the Pension Fund are entitled to make a claim through the Clearing Office in this country in accordance with the Treaty of Peace with Germany.