B.—9

57

(b) Claims by German Nationals against New Zealand Nationals. 1,479 claims received from the German Clearing Office through the £ s. d. £ s. d. Central Clearing Office .. .. .. .. .. .. 211,386 16 8 Claims transferred to Central Clearing Office as not applicable to New 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 .. 1,164 5 2 Claims withdrawn in whole or in part by the German Clearing Office in response to letters of contest lodged on behalf of New Zealand firms, &c... .. .. .. .. .. ..169,355 2 11 Claims acknowledged in whole or in part by New Zealand firms and admitted to the German Clearing Office .. .. .. 31,387 9 0 Claims finally rejected and deemed to be withdrawn .. .. 9,264 6 7 211,171 3 8 Balance, being claims contested, defective, or under action . . . . £215 13 0 N.B. —(1) In addition to the £31,387 9s. admitted as above, interest thereon in accordance with the provisions of the Treaty of Versailles, amounting to £11,260 12s. 4d., has also been credited to the German Clearing Office on account of German claims against New Zealand nationals. (2) During the period claims totalling £510 18s. 7d. and interest, £337 Bs., have been admitted to the German Clearing Office in accordance with replies received from the New Zealand debtors. (3) During the period claims totalling £559 17s. lOd. have been withdrawn by the German Clearing Office. (4) Further claims totalling £235 3s. lOd. were lodged for attention during the period. (5) It will be seen that of claims totalling £211,386 16s. Bd. lodged for clearing only claims totalling £215 13s. are yet undisposed of. (c) Claims by New Zealand Nationals against Germany under Article 297 of the Treaty oj Versailles. 20 claims forwarded to the German Clearing Office through the Central £ s. d. £ s. d. Clearing Office .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 53,007 16 4 Claims acknowledged in whole or in part by Germany and admitted to the New Zealand Clearing Office .. .. .. 18,169 5 2 Offers of compensation accepted and paid in full.. .. .. 3,219 19 5 Claims withdrawn by New Zealand nationals in whole or in part .. 31,618 11 9 £53,007 16 4 N.B.—During the period eight further claims, totalling £275 19s. Id., were lodged for attention, and admissions by the German Clearing Office have been secured in regard to the whole thereof. The whole of the claims lodged for settlement under this heading have now been disposed of. Releases. 117. Tlie 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. Very 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 grounds. The following statement shows the amounts which have been so released to the persons beneficially entitled thereto or to their authorized agents. These figures comprise only amounts which have actually been refunded by the Custodian, and do not include the value of properties in regard to which power to retain and liquidate has not been exercised {e.g., assets belonging to internees or other ex-enemy nationals who have been permitted to remain in this Dominion, certain property belonging to the British-born wives of German nationals, &c.). Payments made in respect of claims established by New Zealand nationals are not included in this statement. (1) Amounts belonging to persons or firms who have submitted satisfactory docu- £ s. d. mentary evidence that they possessed prior to the outbreak of war British, Allied, or neutral nationality, or were in a condition of statelessness .. .. 16,838 8 8 During the war all persons resident in enemy-occupied territory, irrespective of their nationality, were regarded as enemies for the purpose of the War Regulations, and consequently all amounts payable to them during the war were required to be paid to the Custodian of Enemy Property. On the conclusion of peace the necessary steps were taken to release the amounts belonging to British, Allied, and neutral subjects, or persons without nationality. Carried forward .. .. .. .. .. .. £16,838 8 8

B—B. 9.