§ Mr. HOLMESasked the President of the Board of Trade whether it is possible for the English Clearing House to send to English creditors translations in English instead of copies in German of letters and documents received from the German Clearing House relating to the affairs of the individual English creditors?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL - THOMSONHaving regard to the large number of claims being dealt with by the Clearing Office, the adoption of the hon. Member's suggestion would entail a very considerable increase in the staff of that Department. Moreover, in the majority of cases, creditors, whose debts arise out of pre-War dealings with their German debtors, are familiar with the German language. In other cases the Clearing Office is always ready to furnish a translation if requested to do so, with the proviso that such translation must not be accepted as a substitute for the original document.
§ Mr. LINDSAYasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that various people in Germany who owed money to British firms in respect of goods delivered before the War have made payments to the Treuhaüder; that this official has not paid the money so received to the creditors; and is he prepared to take some suitable action?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONI am aware of the fact and would refer my hon. Friend to the reply to a similar question given to the hon. and gallant Member for South East Essex (Lieut.-Colonel Hilder) on the 31st October.