H.—25

IV. Progress regarding the Disposal op Claims. The following table indicates the progress which has been made in connection with the disposal of claims lodged through the New Zealand Clearing Office as at 31st March, 1926 : — (a.) Claims by New Zealand Nationals against German Nationals under Article 296 of the Treaty of Versailles. 171 claims lodged in New Zealand and forwarded to the Central £ s. d. £ s. d. Clearing Office, London .. .. .. .. .. 34,665 15 5 45 claims lodged with the London representative of the New Zealand Clearing Office .. .. .. .. .. 18,368 8 3 53,034 3 8 Claims withdrawn in whole or in part by the New Zealand Clearing Office in response to contests received from the German Clearing Office and in accordance with the instructions of the claimants .. 22,808 6 8 Claims admitted by the German Clearing Office in whole or in part .. 22,193 17 8 — 45,002 4 4 Balance, being claims still under action as follows : Eleven lodged in New Zealand and three claims lodged in London .. .. £8,031 19 4 In addition to the sum of £22,193 17s. Bd. admitted and credited by the German Clearing Office as shown above, interest thereon amounting to £6,641 6s. sd. has also been credited by that Office. The amount admitted, less a deduction of 2J per cent., being Clearing Office commission thereon, has been paid by this Office to the New Zealand claimants. Since the last report claims totalling £1,930 14s. 6d., together with Treaty interest thereon amounting to £1,048 7s. 3d., have been admitted by the German Clearing Office, and claims totalling £1,137 14s. Id. have been withdrawn by the New Zealand Clearing Office. One claim of £2,391 admitted by the German Clearing Office was transferred to the Central Clearing Office for settlement, and the claim and the relative admission were therefore cancelled. The total amount of claims disposed of during the year is £3,068 Bs. 7d. Of the fourteen outstanding claims, totalling £8,031 19s. 4d., the German Clearing Office have finally rejected six claims, of a total amount of £3,024 17s. lOd. There are accordingly eight claims under current action, totalling in all £5,007 Is. 6d. (b.) Claims by German Nationals against New Zealand Nationals under Article 296 of the Treaty of Versailles. 1,474 claims received from the German Clearing Office through the £ s. d. Central Clearing Office .. .. .. .. .. .. 210,975 9 9 Claims retransferred to the Central Clearing Office as not applicable to £ s. d. New Zealand .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,164 5 2 Claims withdrawn in whole or in part by the German Clearing Office in response to letters of contest forwarded by this Office on behalf of the alleged New Zealand debtors .. .. .. .. 162,695 5 8 Claims admitted in whole or in part by New Zealand firms and credited to the German Clearing Office .. .. .. .. 30,353 16 1 194,213 6 11 Balance, being 283 claims still unsettled .. .. .. £16,762 2 10 In addition to the sum of £30,353 16s. Id. admitted and credited to the German Clearing Office as shown above, Treaty interest amounting to £10,593 os. lid. has also been admitted. Since the last report liability in regard to claims amounting to £941 ss. 2d. exclusive of interest has been established by the German claimants or acknowledged by New Zealand debtors. The necessary credit schedules have been duly forwarded to the German Clearing Office in respect of these claims. In response to letters of contest lodged by this Office on behalf of the alleged New Zealand debtors, the German Clearing Office has withdrawn claims amounting to £4,643 14s. 9d. during the period. The total amount of claims under this heading finally disposed of during the year is therefore £5,584 19s. lid. Of the 283 unsettled claims totalling £16,762 2s. 10d., 240 claims totalling £7,944 155., have been rejected, and there are therefore forty-three claims totalling £8,817 7s. lOd. still under active consideration by this Office.

4—H 25.

19