I—H. 25.

H.—2,5

1924. NEW ZEALAND.

ENEMY PROPERTY IN NEW ZEALAND (FOURTH REPORT ON) BY THE PUBLIC TRUSTEE AS CUSTODIAN OF ENEMY PROPERTY AND CONTROLLER OF THE NEW ZEALAND CLEARING OFFICE.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Leave.

CONTENTS. Paragraph Introduction. Completion of work delayed. Absence of complaint. Special difficulties. Information supplied to claimants, &c. Letters of appreciation. Arrangement of subject-matter in report .. 1-7 Part I.—Realization and Disposal of Enkmy Property in New Zealand. Collection of enemy moneys and realization of enemy property in pursuance of the War Regulations. War Regulations Continuance Act, 1920. Treaty of Peace Order, 1920. Right to retain and liquidate enemy property. Compensation payable to enemy nationals by their Governments. Feeling of uneasiness concerning the liquidation of enemy property. Justification of the retention and liquidation of enemy property. Extract from Lord Blanesburgh's Report : Ancient prerogative right of Sovereign to seize private property of enemies on land —Comparison with the Treaty provision—Compensation payable by enemy Governments to their nationals. Remarks by Mr. Justice Romor in Luxardo v. Public Trustee — Treaty adoptH the ordinary commercial system of clearing debts .. .. .. .. .. 8-15 Amounts credited to the German Liquidation Account by the New Zealand Clearing Office. Liquidation schedules. Total amount credited to the German Liquidation Account. Special inquiries regarding the ownership of property in certain cases .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 10-18 Amounts credited to the Austrian Liquidation Account by the New Zealand Clearing Office. Scheme of the Austrian Government for compensating its nationals. Total amount credited to the Austrian Liquidation Account .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..19,20 New Zealand Government stock held by enemy subjects resident in the United Kingdom. Situs of New Zealand stock for purpose of liquidation. Decision not to liquidate in the meantime New Zealand stock held by enemy subjects in United Kingdom .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 21 Reciprocal agreement with the Belgian Government in connection with the liquidation of enemy businesses. Provisions thereof. Its application. Extension to Now Zealand .. .. .. .. 22-24 Release of property of aliens in necessitous circumstances. Aliens who are regarded as entitled to special consideration. Extract from Lord Blanesburgh's report : Result of the fall in the mark on the compensation offered by German Government to its nationals—Wide range of property affected by the charge under (Imperial) Treaty of Peace Order—lncrease in the number of applications for relief— Effect of British claims being charged on enemy property—Aliens possessing special grounds for relicf — Aliens who are more British than anything else —Rights of aliens under the treaties against their Governments Exemptions granted by the United States, Belgium, France, and South Africa —Tho ehargingorders in Council —Power to release —Rights of British claimants in respect of the charged property .. 25,28 Recommendations of Lord Blanesburgh's Committee—General qualifications : (1) General releases not recommended —(2) One advisory body only which should deal with each case on its merits—(3) Amounts stated are reducible —(4) Certain releases should be irrespective of necessitous circumstances ; any act hostile to Allies should be a bar to release —(5) Recommendations extend only to property not realized or not yet credited to Liquidation Account—(o) Life and reversionary interests. Recommendations re German property : (i) British subjects or former British subjects—(ii) Applicants resident in Great Britain—(iii) Applicants who although German nationals in Germany are also British subjects in the United Kingdom—(iv) Inheritances under Wills. Property representing savings from earnings. Position in New Zealand .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 27, 28 Release of property belonging to Turkish subjects. Treaty of Sevres. Treaty of Lausanne. Restoration of property granted to Turkish subjects but not to the other ex-enemy nationals .. .. .. 29 Aliens repatriated from New Zealand. No change in the position as set forth in last year's report. Repatriated Dalmatians who acquired the nationality of the Kingdom of tho Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes. Release of money from New Zealand handed to the Commonwealth military authorities. Repatriated German subjects .. . • • • • • ■ • • • • • • • • ■ ■ ■ 30-33 Amounts released from the provisions of the War Regulations and the Treaty of Peace Order, 1920 : (1) British, Allied, or neutral nationals —(2) Allied or associated nationality acquired under one of the principal Treaties of Peace —(3) Renaturalized British subjects—(4) British-born wives of German nationals (5) Earnings made by Gorman nationals in New Zealand—(B) Internees and repatriated aliens (7) German Church Trust, Christchurch—(B) Transferred for disposal elsewhere—(9) Transferred to the Consolidated Fund—-(10) Miscellaneous .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 34 Statement of amounts held under the War Regulations and the Treaty of Peace Order, 1920 .. .. 35 Part 11. Settlement or Claims by or against British Nationals Resident in New Zealand. Establishment of the New Zealand Clearing Office. Debts owing to or by German, Austrian, Hungarian, and Bulgarian nationals .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 36 London Agent of the New Zealand Clearing Office. Services of the High Commissioner for New Zealand. Correspondence with the German Clearing Office transmitted through the British Central Clearing Office, London. Assistance received from tho Central Clearing Office and the British Custodian of Enemy Property .. .. •. • • • • ■ • • • • • •. •. • • 37, 38