Major BARNESasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what were the circumstances under which differences arose between the Government and the Government of the Republic of Peru in relation to the mineral property of La Brea y Parinas, situated in the province of Paita, Republic of Peru, and owned by the heirs of the late William Keswick, and leased to the London and Pacific Petroleum Company, Limited; who are the directors of this company; who are the heirs of the late William Keswick; and whether any part of the costs of the arbitration now agreed upon will fall upon public funds?
Mr. HARMSWORTHThe circumstances in which differences arose between His Majesty's and the Peruvian Governments are set forth in Article I of the Arbitration Agreement of 27th August, 1921, published in the Treaty Series No. 1, Peru, of 1922. The London and Pacific Petroleum Company has been in liquidation since 1916. The directors at that time were Henry Keswick, Montagu Piesse, W. W. Oswald and W. S. N.656W Heard, and its interests on liquidation were taken over by the International Petroleum Company of Canada, who also took over the freehold interests of William Keswick's heirs in November of the same year. William Keswick's heirs are Henry, Margaret Alice and Helen Keswick, Mrs. Pyke and Mrs. Eastwood. The International Petroleum Company have undertaken in writing through their solicitors to indemnify His Majesty's Government against any remuneration of the arbitrator and agent, respectively.