8.—9

74

The following tables indicate the progress which has been made to date in connection with the disposal of claims : — (a) Claims by New Zealand Nationals against German Nationals under. Article 296 of the Treaty. 216 claims forwarded to the German Clearing Office through the Central Clearing £ s. d. Office .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 53,034 3 8 Claims wholly or partly acknowledged by the German firms and admitted £ s. d. by the German Clearing Office .. .. .. 22, 431 ,3 5 Claims withdrawn in whole or in part in response to letters of contest forwarded to New Zealand on behalf of the alleged German debtors 27 ,264 10 2 Claims finally rejected and deemed to be withdrawn .. .. 3,338 10 1 £53,034 3 8 N.B. —(1) In addition to the £22,431 3s. sd. admitted by the German Clearing Office as above, interest thereon as provided in the Treaty of Versailles, amounting to £6,806 15s. 5cL, has also been credited to the New Zealand Clearing Office. The amount admitted, less a deduction of 2f per cent., being Clearing Office commission thereon, has been paid by this Office to the New Zealand claimants. (2) It will be noted that the claims lodged under this heading have now been wholly disposed of. (b) Claims by German Nationals against Nevj Zealand Nationals. 1,479 claims received from the German Clearing Office through the Central Clearing £ s. d. Office.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 211,408 15 4 Claims transferred to Central Clearing Office as not applicable to New £ s. d. Zealand .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,164 5 2 Claims withdrawn in whole or in part by the German Clearing Office in response to letters of contest lodged on behalf of New Zealand firms, &c. .. .. .. .. .. .. 169,380 7 7 Claims acknowledged in whole or in part by New Zealand firms and admitted to the German Clearing Office .. .. .. 31,462 15 '3 Claims finally rejected and deemed to be withdrawn .. .. 9,264 6 7 • — 211,271 14 7 Balance, being one claim contested .. .. .. .. .. £137 0 9 N.B. —(1) In addition to the £31,462 15s. 3d. admitted as above, interest thereon in accordance with the provisions of the Treaty of Versailles, amounting to £11,301 13s. 10d., has also been credited to the German Clearing Office on account of German claims against New Zealand nationals. (2) During the period claims totalling £75 6s. 3d. and interest, £41 Is. 6d., have been admitted to the German Clearing Office in accordance with replies received from the New Zealand debtors. (3) During the period claims totalling £25 4s. Bd. have been withdrawn by the German Clearing Office. (4) Further claims totalling £21 18s. Bd. were lodged for attention during the period. (5) It will be seen that of claims totalling £211,408 15s. 4d. lodged for clearing one only, of £137 os. 9d., is yet undisposed-of. (c) Claims by New Zealand Nationals against Germany under Article 297 of the Treaty of Versailles. 21 claims forwarded to the German Clearing Office through the Central Clearing £ s. d. Office 53,114 10 2 Claims acknowledged in whole or in part by Germany and admitted £ s. d. to the New Zealand Clearing Office .. .. .. .. 18,264 17-3, Offers of compensation accepted and paid in full .. .. .. 3,231 1 2 Claims withdrawn by New Zealand nationals in whole or in part .. 31,618 11. 9 £53,114- 10 2 N.B. —During the period further claims of £106 13s. lOd. were lodged for attention, and were admitted by the German Clearing Office. The whole of the claims lodged for settlement under this heading have now been disposed of. Releases. 171. The date fixed for the receipt of applications for compassionate releases has expired. In certain cases where releases were granted before the expiry date payments are being made as funds become available for application in satisfaction of the releases. Yery considerable amounts have been released from the provisions of the War Regulations, Treaty of Peace Order, 1920, and the Treaty of Peace (Austria and Hungary) Order, 1924, by way of compassionate releases and on various other