HIDDEN GERMAN NAMES IN BUSINESS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 8, 4 October 1917, Page 6

HIDDEN GERMAN NAMES IN BUSINESS

FINAL* BLOW TO SHAM "BRITISH" I'IRMS.

Under the name of the British Companies (Particulars as to Directors) Act an imuportant measure directed against Hun trade ami Hun traders will be placed o/the Statute Book very shortly (states the "Daily .Mail" in a recent; issue). It has already passed Ihe two Houses and is now only awaiting the Royal Ass.ent, This new Act will, in effect, bring limited liability companies registered since November 22, 1910, and all torcign companies which have at any time established a place of business in this country under the Registration of .Busiuess Names Act It is regarded in : commercial and other circles as a piece of oound business and common-sense legislation, plainly bearing tho stamp of. the new president of the Board of Trade, Sir Albert Stanlev Companies affected by the Act must send full particulars of their directors 'real names, nationality, to Somerset House, where they will be filed and made accessible to tho public. They. must, also place fueso particulars on their busiuess notepayer, trade catalogues, circu are, and show-cards. The Act is directed against hundreds of firms of enemy origin which rushed to register themselves at Someiset House as limited companies last. Eebiuary in the days before the coming .into fo«e of «>e Registration of Business Names Act. These ingenious people have now spent their money .in vain. A business-like clause in. tho Act declares tnatthe expression ''«"•«*£ shall include any person on whose flections and instructions the directors of , comj nany are accustomed to act. .this will sweep into the net Hun "managers and "secretaries" and prevent, the creation of dummy British directors. Tins it, the s cond m p"ece-of anti-Hun legislationpromoted by the Board of Trade recently. Th first was the Compames (Foreign Interested Act passed on May 24. It i= intended to prevent companies which have hanged their articles of association by order of the Board of Trade because they were under enemy control or obligations from reverting to the old' control a tor the war. Such companies are also, forMdden to wind up their nftairs without e consent of the board. This clause will prevent a company winding up and starting afresh free of these limitations.