THE HOUSE OF COMMONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22213, 16 March 1934, Page 9

THE HOUSE OF COMMONS

ATLANTIC MERGER BILL THIRD READING POSTPONED. *■ LONDON, March 15, (Received March 15, at 10 p.m.) In the House of Commons, in the committee stage of the North Atlantic Merger Bill, Mr Neville Chamberlain said he had no information with reference to a press report that White Star interests were seeking an injunction in the American courts to prevent the merger. If the injunction was granted it would render the whole Bill useless, but it would be inexcusable to postpone the possibility of restarting work on the Cunard liner on the chance of an action which might never be brought. The third reading would be postponed till later information was received. AN AMERICAN’S ALLEGATION. NEW YORK, March 14. (Received March 15, at 11-55 p.m.) Mr P. A. S. Franklin, president of the International Mercantile Marine Company, said to-day that the company’s attorneys had been instructed to seek a court injunction to restrain the Cunard Company, the Oceanic Company, and others from proceeding with the merger of the Cunard and White Star Lines. Mr Franklin, who returned to-day on the Majestic from Europe, alleged that the right of stock holders in the Oceanic Company had been violated, and he also alleged that the new merger was nothing more or less than a British national line, backed by the British Treasury to the extent of £50,000,000.