WAR REGULATIONS

Marlborough Express, Volume L, Issue 82, 6 April 1916, Page 2

WAR REGULATIONS

TRADING WITH THE ENEMY

Some new and important war regulations wore made public by special Gazette on Tuesday. The regulations deal in part with the custody and control of enemy property, and in part confer upon the Government- extensive powers in the matter of '-dealing with trading with the f enemy. * The Attorney-General (the Hon. A. L. Herdman), who was asked by a representative of The Dominion for an explanation of the new regulations, said that the regulations which dealt with the custody of enemy property constit,u|ect , he Public Trustee the of enemy property, and they required'any person who, on the coming into operation of the regulations, holds or has control of enemy property, to notify the Public Trustee of tho fact, and to furnish full particulars of the property hel.l or controlled by him. In. the case of moneys payable to an enen-y, continued Mr Herdman, the custodian f may demand payment ot such moneys from the person by whom they are payable, and all rent, dividends, interest/ share of profit, and other income owing by any person in Now Zealand to an enemy shall be paid to the Public Trustee.

As to the regulations dealing with onomy trading—

First: Trading with any firm or company carrying on. business elsewhere than in the British Dominions is prohibited if that company or firm is incorporated or has its chief place of Hisincss in enemy/territory. This regulation covers the case of trading with a firm carrying on business in America or American Samoa, if the head office of such firm is in Germany.

Second: Power is given to the Attorney-General to declare a compaM3 T, firm, or person an enemy if he

company, firm, or person is being carried on for the benefit of alien enemies resident out of New Zealand, or if the company, firm, or person is engaged, in any business) or underbaking injurious to the interests of his Majesty during the present war. A suspected person, firm, or company will be declared an enemy in the Gazette, aiid trading with such an enemy thereupon becomes unlawful.

\. complete list of persons with whom trading is to be prohibited is to be forwarded to New Zealand by the Imperial Government, and on its arrival the list will be gazetted.

Third: The Minister or Customs iiitij :ytop the exportation of goods if he has reason to suspect, that the consignee is a,n enemy or is a person engaged in .any business injurious to his Majesty.

Fourth: Power is given to prevent persons carrying on business in the name of ail enemy.

Fifth: A Registrar of Companies is prevented from issuing a certificate of incoporation until the AttorneyGeneral is satisfied that no enemy possesses, or is about to acquire,' any interest in tho company. Similar restrictions are placed upon companies incorporated elsewhere thafu in New Zealand wishing to carry on business in Now Zealand.

An enemy is prevented from acquiring shares, debentures, or debenture stock in any eompajry incorporated m New Zealand.

Sixth : Perhaps " the regulation which is of the greatest local interestis ohe one which provides that the Attorney-General may impose such restrictions as he thinks fit upon any business ■carried on in New Zealand when he is satisfied that such business is wholly or partially carried on by, or on behalf of, <an enemy, an enemy company, or alien enemy.

Seventh : The existing power .of the Attorney-General to appoint the Public Trustee as Controller of certain 'companies is extended, and a controller may, under the new regulations, be appointed whenever the Attorney-General is satisfied that its exercise is advisable by reason of the existence of any interest or control possessed or exercised in or on such business by an enemy.

This statement which 1 am giving you does not- profess to be more than a hurried and perfunctory explanation of the new regulations. I have to leave towi-. this morning hurriedly,

than, a rough outline of their scope. When I return ] shall be pleased to give you a mere complete explanation.