NON-FERROUS METALS

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 128, 2 June 1919, Page 7

NON-FERROUS METALS

EX-CHAIRMAN OF MERTON'S TO BE LICENSED

KING'S BENCH DECISION IN HIS FAVOUR,

(UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.—COPIRICHT.)

(AUSTRALIAN-NEW ZEALAND CABLE ASSOCIATION.) LONDON, 30th May! The King's Bench has decided against the Board of Trade for refusing a license to Henry Gardner, formerly chairman of Merlon's (the metal firm), to trade in non-ferrous metals. The Chief Justice declared that since tho outbreak of the war Gardner- had done everything possible to divest himself of his German associations. [Intimately associated with the Metallgosellschait of Germany, . tiie greatest metal-dealing concern yet organised, -was tho firm of Henry R. Merlon and Co., Ltd. The parent company was founded By Dr. Wilhelm Mertoii, of Frankfort-on-the-Main, and its subsequent ramifications included-tha American Metal Company, the African' Metal Company, and the Australian Metal Company in addition, dozens of "daughter" companies were floated, controlling metal interests in every part of the world under the control of the Metallgesellschaft in Germany, and which, until some.time after the outbreak of the war. owned the largest part of the capital. Henry R. Marion and C 0.,. Ltd., is the English concern. Henry R, Merton, however, in July, 1916, announced that British subjects had purchased 20,000 of the company's shares, of a market value of £600,030, hitherto held by German firms. Tho amendment of the articles of association, providing for exclusive British control, were approved by the Board of Trade and the High Court of Justice hi 1918, and it was stated that only IS percent, of the shares now belonged to residents of neutral or Allied countries. Later it was announced that the' Government had refused Merton a license under the Nan-Ferrous Metals Act. In a speech on trade organisation delivered before Labour leaders and captains of industry at the Savoy on 24th July, 1918, Mr. YV. M. Hughes was reported to have said :—"The vitah point was to clear the ground of all, enemy influences, so that British industries should not rest upon enemy foundations. Our economic house must be absolutely freed from German influence. It was disconcerting to know, after four years of war, that firms like' Merton's were still in the citadel of the 'Empire. Until April or May last the British Government was dependent upon Morton's for nickel, except for what one other firm supplied. Although this had now ceased, Morton's was still openly operating here. An English mime was covering a man of German origin. There was something about tho intimate relations of Morton's with the Government ■ which ho- could not understand. He had been told on good authority that this great German organisation was still carrying on operations in London. How could the American Government place .the American branch on tho black list, when the English Government honoured and trusted' tho English branch? Melton's ought to go. They were not the only German company here". The fact was that German inierejsls and influences-more or less openly still pervaded businesses'anil-tho industrial and financial sphere of Great Britain." Tho firm oE Merton' s,) it w;-.s reported, had issuj-d a writ for libel and slander against Mr. Hughes for making this statement.]