ENEMY MONEY

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3156, 7 August 1917, Page 6

ENEMY MONEY

CANNOT BE USED TO REIMBURSE CONSIGNEES. In a recent letter to the AttorneyGeneral, tho secretary of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce (Mr. H. D. Vickery) pointed out, with regard to merchandise en route to Now Zealand' in enemy ships when tho war broke out, tlfat many consignees had been put to great expense in securing such goods, delivery only being obtained in some cases after a considerable "average" had been paid to the agents of the vessel, and 011 the consignee's paying tho expenses of handling tho cargo and freight from neutral ports to New Zealand.

In the case of vessels captured in Australian ports, consignees were required to pay the freight and certain handling charges from Australia to New Zealand, although tho through freight had been paid at tho port of shipment. 111 some instances the charges paid had amounted to 70 per cent, of tho value of tho goods.

To this communication the Attorney General lias replied as follows:—

"I beg to inform you that I have given careful consideration to your letter in rel'erenco to tho representations made by consignees who have had to bear additional expense in the shipment of goods to New Zealand from captured enemy vessels. In your communication the question is asked whether it is possible for a reimbursement of these expenses to be obtained out of moneys held by the Public Trustee on behalf of enemy firms or whether it is possible in any other way to recover the loss incurred. I find that it is impossible to use the moneys in the hands of the Public Trustee in the way suggested. These moneys have not been confiscated. They are merely impounded during the war and still belong to the enemy firms concerned. Their .ritimnte disposition will depend upon the terms of peace arranged with the British Government, but they cannot in the meantime be used to satisfy claims, however valid, against other enemy subjects.

"With respect to the question whether there is any other method open to consignees of obtaining compensation, I have to say that the British Government receives an'd. records all claims arising during the war on the part of British subjects against onemy Governments or enemy subjects. These claims will be dealt with oil their merits 011 the conclusion of tho war, and in accordance with the terms of peace.. New Zealand claims are sent to tho New Zealand Public Trusteo for transmission to the British "Government. It is, of courso, not possible for me to say whether the claims of the description referred to will be entertained or enforced by tho British Government. The losses in question are a normal incident of the outbreak of war, and represent a risk which is necessarily incurred by British subjects if their good 3 are carried in foreign vessels. It seoms to me that had it not been for the special permission and license issued by the British Government to such consignees to obtain delivery of their goods by payment of the charges, in question, the goods ■ would have remained locked up in neutral ports until the conclusion of peace. I do not think that the act of the consignees in taking advantage of this license and permission can be regarded as giving them any claim against tho German ship-owners."