REPARATIONS

Evening Star, Issue 25701, 26 January 1946, Page 9

REPARATIONS

THE ALLOCATION BASIS DIVISION OF GERMAN ASSETS (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Jan. 25. The allocation of reparations from Germany was the subject of a statement made to-night' by the Acting Prime Minister, the • lit. ■ Hon. W. Nash. He said the co-ordination _of New ' Zealand's reparation requirements here would he undertaken by the Department of Industries and Commerce in Wellington, and if any persons or firms were interested iu securing particular plant ■or equipment, or information relating,to technical processes, etc., from Germany they should make* known their prol*able requirements to that department. There would be no commitment at this stage in so doing. New Zealand, Mr Nash said, was represented by Mr G. W. Cli«kard. of the High . Commissioner's Office in London, at a conference on reparations held in Paris from November 9 to December 21 last. In common with the other countries represented at the conference, New _ Zealand had submitted data relating _ to its war effort and had given particulars i of all tho German assets located within its jurisj diction. The Paris conference adopted a final act which was signed on behalf of New Zealand and to which was annexed a draft agreement on reparations from Germany, on the establishment of an inter-Allied, Reparation .Agency, and on the restitution of monetary gold. Mr Nash said that the Government had/decided, to sign this agreement. An article of the agreement provided that as soon, as it.had' been signed on 'behalf of the Governments collectively entitled' to ,notf less: than 80 per cent, of the aggregate of category A shares it would, come into; force among the signatory Governments. " Under the agreement," Mr Nash continued, " German . reparations for countries other than the U.S.S.R. and Poland are divided into two categories, A and B. Category A is the basic allocation which includes all forms of reparation not included in Category B. It includes all German assets located outside Germany. New Zealand's share in this category is two-tenths of 1 per cent., Allocations by the agency would take into account such factors as the claimant country's pre-war interest in the items concerned and the urgency of its need. "In the meantime," Mr Nash said, " no complete lists of the items likely to be offered to New Zealand are available, but it' is understood that>the. preparation of such lists is,-in hand." The transfers of- reparation assets would be made to the New Zealand Government, which' would sell them in appropriate cases;to firms or persons who desired to purchase them. The share by New Zealand would be in satisfaction of all other claims .by the Government' and by New Zealand nationals against the former German. Government and_ its agencies of a governmental or private character' arising out' of the war and not otherwise provided for. The Government would, therefore, require to use part of the proceeds arising from, the sale of such assets to compensate persons having . legitimate claims. With regard to ships, Mr Nash-said, the Assembly of the Inter-Allied. Re-, parations Agency would set up a special committee to make recommen-; dations concerning the allocation of German merchant ships available for distribution. The ships available 'as reparations would be distributed among the signatory Governments in proportion to their respective over-all losses of merchant shipping on a gross tonnage basis through acts of war. The claims of refugees would be dealt with by a different procedure. A special share of the reparations was to be established for the purpose of assisting the true victims of Nazi persecution, and their dependents. This share would be funded from the nonmonetary gold in Germany and portion of the German assets in neutral countries. The fund would be administered by the Inter-Governmental Committee on Refugees or its successor. It would be used not for the compensation of individual victims, but to further the rehabilitation- or resettlement of persons in the eligible classes.