ENEMY PROPERTY.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 November 1924, Page 4

ENEMY PROPERTY.

The Custodian of Enemy Property in New Zeal I (.Mr J. W. .Alai Donald) reporting on the position of his oliiee stales that llieie has been an entire absence of serious i ompiaiiit as regards 1 lie manner in which the special duties have been discharged. It is

true that ea-es have arisen where some pleasure of hardship undoubtedly exists, hut il is inevitable Hint, the operation of such far-reaching provisions of the economic clauses ot the treaties ol peoie. while conferring benefit on the "oneral hiisiness community. should hove the elfeet ol placing some individual- in a less fa votil able posit ion than if the provisions had not been incorporated in the law ol the Dominion.

LETTERS OF CONTEST. 1 1 will he readily realised how necessary il is for great care and skill t" be exercised in those eases where losses have been incurred owing to the cxi rant'dioarv euiahtuins arising from the Great War. and Imw mill h dillieiilty is being experienced in determining whether under the expressed nr im-

plied terms of a particular nuilrai the loss properly falls on. say. the Get man exporter or "it the New Zealao consignee. In these and similar ease where the matter is not free fret ihuild it is the practice of the ofliee t advise the New Zealand firms rumen e.l to consult their solicitors in regar lo the preparation of the letters i contest for transmission through ll oliiee to the German Clearing Oliiee. FOR PROTECTION.

In order that the interests of New Zealand nationals may he adequately protected, the oliiee has taken considerable I rouble lo bring to the knowledge of the New Zealand parties all the relative information which il. may have gained while dealing with similar eases. For the must part the office merely acts as a channel of eommnniealion and settlement, and consequently is unable In accept responsibility for any aclioii which may he taken by the New Zealand national concerned. OF GREAT VALUE.

Tu accordance with requests originating in the oliiee of the Controller of the Central Clearing Oliiee and I lie Custodian of Enemy Property for the I'nitcd Kini'dom. who have bad an unrivalled experience in all matters relating to enemy property, and Ihe cleating-ol!iee procedure, have supplied from time to time explanations and opinions which have proved of great value to the ofliee and to the New Zealand nationals concerned. STILL THE SAME.

Letters of appreciation have been received front several linns ami persons regarding the assistance received from the oliiee in the protection or enforcement of their interests. It is extremely satisfactory to record that in the main it lias not been necessary to change the general procedure adopted on the establishment of the New Zealand Clearance Oliiee when so many matters were surrounded bv doubt and uncertainly. Of course, experience and decisions by the courts and by the mixed tribunals have shown that many modifications of the original views are necessary, and. like auq other branch of law, there hits been a gradual development of guiding principles. together with the inevitable special exceptions.

ALLIED RIGHTS. Under the Treaty of Sevres the A 1 lied and Associated Powers resorvei

lie tight to retain and liquidate pro

petty in their territory belonging to Turkish subjects, but in the subsequent Treaty of Lausanne this provision was not included. Turkish subjects alone among the Central Power group tire entitled to tlio release of their property or the proceeds thereof which may have lioon controlled or held under emergency legislation during the war. As stated in previous reports, no

Turkish property has been administered by the oliiee under the AVar Regulations. QUARTER. OF A MILLION.

The net amount held by the Custodian totals £205.002 15s Id. During the year ended March 81st. 1021. the following amounts were released: — Moneys belonging to aliens who were interned during the war. and (or) were repatriated from Xew Zealand at their own request or otherwise. £10,251 15s ;sd; amounts belonging to British-born subjects who lost their British nationality on marirage, and who, subsequent

to llio coming into force of tlie Treaty of Peace, have been rcnnturaliscd as British subjects, £29,312 19s 1<1; amounts belonging to persons or firms who have submitted satisfactory docu-

mentary evidence that they possessed prior to the outbreak of war British' Allied, or neutral nationality. £15,013 10s *ld.

COUNTER CLAIMS. Claims made by New Zealand nationals against flermau .nationals amounted to £2B.OSS. flermau claims withdrawn totalling £93,031. Now Zealand claims withdrawn amounted to £17,5-10. An admission of C'lO,209 wits awarded by the Anglo-German Mixed Arbitral Tribunal in regard to a claim by two New Zealand ltenefieinries in an estate in Germany, which was sold by the German authorities during the war.