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REPARATIONS DUTY,
GREAT BRITAIN PAYS BUT" NEVER- RECEIVES.
The debate in the House of Commons. on March 4th, on the reduction of the duty on imported German goods from
16TH, 1924"
A "YANGTSŻE -COLLISION
CASE.
ACTION BETWEEN CHINA NAVIGA TION COMPANY AND CHINA, MERCHANTS.
Au application for limitation of liabiles 28 to 3 per cent, under the Germany in respect of the collision between the Reparations Recovery Act, was marked China Navigation Company's hulk the by divergent views expressed by leading Kang Ying and the Prosang near Kiuki- members of the "Liberal Party. While ang, on September 19th, 1023, came befarg Sir John Simon, although seeking ex. judge Sir Skinner Turner, in "Admiratty planation upon certain points, declared jurisdiction, at Shanghai last week,
Plaintiff, the owners of the, l'oosung, it was to the credit of the Labour Gov- ernment that they had lost no time in were represented by Mr. R. E. S. Gregson making a new arrangement, Mr. Lloyd while Mr. J. H. Teesdale appeared for the George considered that if the attitude defendants, the owners of the King Sing On September 13th, 103, while on a assinned by the Chancellor of the Ex- chequer represented the spirit in which voyage to Hankow, the as. Wooing, a the Government was going into Confer-hip of 3,213 tons grow, collided with the ence in April British interests would | Kang Xing and xank her. There was no ks of life Plaintiffs submitted that tho he completely surrendered.
collision accurred without the actual fault er privity of plaintiffs, but they admitted that the collision was caused by the im- proper navigation of the Monsung..
The debate was initinted by Mfr. A. M. Samuel, who moved to reduce, the Vote on Acciunt for Civil Service and Re- venue Departments us a protest against the action of the Government in reducing the duty. He contended that as a result of the action of the Government the German revenue was relieved at the ex- pense of the British tax-payer. In his view the Treasury had given up a good lighting weapon.
If
aliow
Mr. Somerville took the same, line. the Germans would not pay the 26 per crint, he asked, why should we their goods into our country at all Why was it we always gave way and the Germans got what they wanted! The adoption of a strong attitude by Great Britain would result in Germany finding money to pay the duty.
A SMALL REVENUE.
Plaintiff application was for a decision that the damages in respect of the loss of the Xiang Xing, together with her goods and merchandize, did not excved the aggre gate amount of £8 per ton of registered torpage. £99.790. Plaintiffs submitted to pay into Court this sum, with interest at per cent., from the date of the collision. They claimed a declaration that they and the ship Woouung were not answerable for damages in connection with the collision in respect of loss exceeding £8 per ton.
Counsel for plaintifs real affidavits, by Mr. E. F. Mackay, attorney for Messrs. Butterfield and Swire and the China Navi- gation Company, and by Mr. Boris Ryka!- Lovsky, scound officer of the Housąng, in support of his case, and submitted that Sir John Simon addressed a number of it was new only a question of deciding the questions to the Chancellor of the Exche-form of decree, the rate of exchange on the quer as to the provisions of the agree- £23,720 and the form of advertising, ment which had been arrived at with Counsel contended that the rate of x- Germany, but be conveyed the impression that he approved of the action which had change should be that prevailing on the been taken in making a bange in the date on which payment was made, quot system. The only question to him was ing in support of his subizission the action whether the change was the best in all circumstances. He was anxious to know between the owners of the s, Hanchuw exactly the advantage attached to the 5 and the owners of the ss. Feima and other per cent. It was obviously, he said, soon! cases of some years ago. He pointed small a percentage as to be almost trumpery as a means of revenue.
Was out that the difference in the rates pre-
it, he daquired, regarded more in the vailing at the date of the collision and the nature of a means of keeping the date of payment in was about vàé penny, machine working at a low pressure and registering results than as a material contribution to the problem either of revenue or reparations?
Mr. Tecdale submitted that exchange should be fixed as the rate prevailing at the date of the collision, also quoting vari
After hearing both sides, his Lard-hip granted the formal application of plain- tiff and then proceded to deal with the question of the fate of exchange. His Lordship mentioned recent decisions in England and said it seemed to him that in cach case, whether it was contract or
The Chancellor of the Exchequer 'conous authorities. tended, however, that there was a very effective safeguard. It was not in the agreement, but in the present economic conditions of world prices. The reason the Government Lad agreed to the reduc tion of the duty, he said, was because the alternative was 3 per cent. or nothing. Any other arrangement would have in volved a reduction in the Customs re- ceipts, and Germany in such circum- stances would have resorted again to the tort, one had to go back to the date of old vicious system of the printing press, breach. With regard to the cases quoted with the result that there would have by counsel for plaintiffe, his Lordship opia. been a farther reduction in the capacityed that the point was probably never of Germany to pay any reparations, at very carefully argui, as in those days the all. When the present Government took rate did not vary to the same extent as at office they found an intel-rable situation, the present time. He, therefore, "fit and they set themselves see what could be done to relieve the hdships of some of the British firms in the German trade. Nothing must be done to impair Ger- many's capacity to pay or delay her economic restoration. He protested that if the 3 per bent, duly had not been agreed upoa Great Britain would have thrown away every weapon. It was per. fect nonsense to talk about the difference between £500,000 a month and £150,000 a month. It was the latter sum or no thing it was hoped that the Committes of Experts inquiring into Germany's capacity to pay would report during the next two or three weeks, when the whole question of reparations would be go into afresh. That was why the 5 per cert. arrangement was no more than temporary agreement.
BRITISH INTERESTS."
obliged to follow the more recent cases' at Hone, and he held that the rate of ex- change must be that prevailing on the date of the collision. His Lordship br dered plaintiffs to pay the costs of the action-Shanghai Mereurry.
*
EMBEZZLEMENT AND
·CHEATING.
"JAYA POLICE COMMISSIONER
IMPRISONED.
Verkamer, director of the Simpang Hospital, Soerabaya, is now in custody charged with embezzlement of a sum of over one hundred, and twenty thousand guilders, being money and property en trusted to his care.
C. van Rossen, the Chief Commissioner of Polic, Java, has been sentenced to six &years imprisonment for cheating, and embezzlement of Government funds. Scb- sation after sensation was caused during the trial of his case. It was revealed, Mr. Lloyd George pointed out that the says & translation from a Dutch paper, "issue involved in the debate was whether that he had banking accounts in not less Great Britain really meant to levy any than sleven banking hours and all the ontributions upon Germany in respect moneys and other securities from all these of reparations. Reparations could be got banks standing in his name have been edh in two ways. One was by means of Ger-fiscated by the Government. He has been man raw materials, such as coal and sent to the Central Prison at Semarang to timber, being distributed among the serve his sentence. Allies. The other was by putting some Bort of duty on German exports which was then paid in sterling or dollars. Payment in marks be swept aside as being perfectly worthless. His regret was that the Chancellor did not see he was parting with a very formidable weapon in the coming negotiations. Reparations in kind were still being collected by France, Belgium,, and Italy, and the fore," he said. "I protest against the money was being refunded by the Ger new spirit which seems to proceed on the mun Government. Our equivalent was sumption that Fagland is to pay, but practically abandoned. Mr. Lloyd George when it comes to receiving it must be pays criticized the conduct of recent negotia- some other country. Great British. tions on the ground that there had been America. She is to receive nothing from a disposition to treat British interests France and Italy, The Chancellor of as being secondary. "I protest against the Exchequer says that Germany is in that strongly," he said. I have never such a position that she cannot possibly been opposed to an abatement of claims pay. No, she cannot pay us, but she against Germany, but it must be part can pay France in full. We were equal of a large settlement in which all the in sacrifice, he said, and it was about Allies are partners. If there are abate time that Great Britain should stand up ments they must be all-round abatements. for her rights. in this matter.
On A division the result was as They must not always be at the cost of Great Britain! The war, he claimed, follows:- had cost us more than any other country, Our devastation was not so great ns that of France. but it cost us hundreds of millions of pounds, and the ruin to our business had been greater than that suffered by any other country. There (Continued at foot of next column.)
For the amendment Against
10 240
Majority against To
Mr. Lloyd George took no part in the
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