ENEMY ALIEN PROPERTY

Hokitika Guardian, 20 August 1923, Page 2

ENEMY ALIEN PROPERTY

CUSTODIAN'S REPORT. WELLINGTON, August It. The Public. Trustee, who is custodian of enemy alien propeity in Nc'V Zealand, lias reported to Parliament that every effort lias been made to ensure early completion of this work, hut it aas been found desirable in a. numlier of eases where property or the proceeds thereof arc hold in pursuance of the war regulations to postpone taking final action in order to act in harmony with the practice of the Imperial Government- in connection with similar eases in the United Kingdom, furthermore in regard to the claims portion of this work it is evident from the experience of the last twelve months that considerable delays are hound to occur. In some eases a jieriod of two years or more has elapsed in obtaining definite teplies from the German clearing office regarding British claims or acknowledgments of letters from this office contesting German claims against British nationals in New Zealand. Many of the matters which have not yet been disposed of, being under action either with the German clearing office or ULtli this office, are of great complexity and the task of determining what, is the present legal position is rendered more difficult by tlie inability of Die parlies to supply

satisfactoiy evidence in support of tlieir claims. This statu of affairs can nnlv le expected after the lapse of year- which has taken place since business relations were dislocated owing to tho outbreak of the great European war. A number of claims will probably need to he submitted to an An-glo-German mixed arbitral tribunal for decision.

Claims received by New Zealand nationals against Gorman nationals in respect of debts payable prior to the war amounted to £49,219, while claims by German nationals against New Zealanders on account of debts which became payable during the war and arose out of transactions or contracts with nations of an opposing Power resident within its territory, the execution of which was suspended on account of hostilities, amounted to £203.000 A further basis of claim by New Zealanders was in respect of the sale of British property in German territory liquidated during the war under exceptional war measures. These claims aggregated £52.508. making the grand total of claims received for settlement £304.817. The amount of claims unsettled or still under action is £235,000.

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