358
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
wwimmim C.O.885/25
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
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The business had business, was directed to leave the Colony at the same time. branches at Port of Spain and San Fernando, and is being liquidated. It appears, from 31146/15, enclosure 2, paragraphs 9 and 12, that the real estate and goodwill are not being sold.
III.-A. S. Laing & Company. This pharmacy belonged, at the outbreak of It appears, from paragraph 7 of the war, to a German subject, F. W. Meyer. enclosure in 27887, that it has been sold as a going concern, i.e., the goodwill has (See also paragraph 1 of enclosure in been sold and possibly premises also. 35708/15.)
IV. Cocoa Estates belonging to Max Reimer & P. F. Collignon.-These are being managed by a receiver and manager. (See paragraph 18, enclosure 2, in 31146/15.) In 40572/15 the Governor asked permission to sell what appears to be one of these estates, on the ground that the profits were not sufficient to pay the We declined to allow this, telling him to pay the upkeep and mortgage interest. upkeep so far as he could, and let the mortgagees foreclose if they wanted to.
have no particulars,
V. Other businesses in liquidation, of which we
belong to :-
Schjolsetch & Holler.
The German Kali Works.
Hugo Hoffmann.
S. E. Jacobson.
C. A. Belling.
Mrs. J. A. A. Scheerer (house property).
On the 10th June
The law of Trinidad permits of complete liquidation. (26820/15) we told the Governor to amend this provision of the law.
3. BRITISH GUIANA. (See 48685/14.)
I.-Wieting & Richter.-Mr. Wieting is a naturalized British subject, has lived in the Colony for forty-four years, and his daughter is married to the Colonial Secretary for Fiji. His son is a member of the Court of Policy.
Mr. Richter was born in the Colony and married a daughter of Sir F. Hodgson: he commands part of the local defence force. He has a brother in the business, who appears to have been born in the Colony.
The firm has no branch in enemy territory.
II.-H. Seedorf.-An enemy subject, has been in British Guiana over thirty- five years, and has British connexions. He owns a small engineering foundry.
III-C. Mehler & Company.-Furniture dealers, owned by M. Juister, an old resident with British connexions. The firm has apparently no branch in Germany. None of these firms are being liquidated, but Messrs. Seedorf and Mehler have been told not to correspond with neutral or enemy countries, and the latter have been told to confine themselves to internal trade. In this connexion see 5412/15-16. IV. Hugo Schmidt.-He appears to be a manager of a plantation, not owner.
4.-BARBADOS. (See 48846/14.)
The only business suspected of German ownership was the Barbados Biscuit A British firm, Factory, belonging to Wieting & Richter, British Guiana, q.v.
"Central Cotton Agency," was stated in 48846/14 to be suspected of disloyalty. We seem to have heard no more about it.
the
5.-BERMUDA.
It is stated in 44785/14 S that the only business belonging to a German subject has been closed. This is presumably the firm of W. E. Meyer & Company, as to The business belongs to a father and son, which see 27799 of 1910, paragraph 5.
who are both Germans, and were stated in 1910 to be on the list of suspects in the defence scheme. They owned at that time the only salvage appliance in Berrauda, and were stated to have a bad reputation in the Colony.
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6. BRITISH HONDURAS. (See 47695/14.)
I-Hofus & Hildebrandt. Mr. Hofius is a naturalized British subject; Mr. Hildebrandt, a German, who has been domiciled in the Colony for thirty years. There are no partners in Germany. The business is not controlled or financed from Germany, and the trade done with Germany is small and not larger than that done by purely British houses.
II.-John Lind.—A naturalized American citizen, whose citizenship may have lapsed. He has lived in the Colony fifty years, all his children and grandchildren having been born there.
III.—Mrs. Biddle.-Sister of Mr. Lind, of German origin, but left Germany at the age of 14. Married to a Spaniard naturalized in the United States. Their eldest son is United States Vice-Consul at Belize. She is stated to do a fairly large business with Great Britain and the United States.
IV.-Joseph Lewis.-Owner of two hotels and a general store and four motor ships, also managing director of the Electric Light Company. A German Pole by Domiciled in the birth. Has the United States of America naturalization. Colony for twenty years.
V.-Schmelzer.-A photographer resident in the Colony for twenty-six years. The Governor considered all these persons perfectly safe, and no action has been taken to liquidate any of their businesses.
7.-Leeward ISLANDS. (See 9096/15.)
Here there is said to be one planter, named Karlowa, of doubtful status, but he appears only to manage an estate for a non-enemy company.
8. WINDWARD ISLANDS. (See 3921/15.)
Here there is a planter and engineer, called Alphonse Butsch, stated to be an Alsatian of Allied sympathies.
It will be seen from the above that the only Colonies where the question of Of the others only enemy trade is of importance are Jamaica and Trinidad. British Honduras and British Guiana contain any considerable number of persons With regard to these two Colonies the opinior. of enemy nationality or origin. plainly stated by the Governor of British Honduras, that all the persons in question in that Colony are loyal, can, I think, be depended upon. None of them appear to have any commercial connexion with Germany, and there appears to be no ground for instituting any liquidation proceedings. The same appears to be true of British Guiana. The only firm of importance there, Wieting & Richter, is plainly, to all intents and purposes, a British firm, and liquidation would apparently be out of place here also.
In Barbados, the Leewards, and the Windwards there seem to be no enemy busi- nesses to liquidate. In Bermuda we ought, I think, to take the opportunity to get rid of W. E. Meyer & Company, if this has not already been done, and the business should be sold as a going concern with the goodwill and real estate to a British purchaser.
If the action suggested for these Colonies is approved, to neutral interests will not arise in regard to any of them. and Trinidad.
Mr. Grindle's point as There remain Jamaica
think, be left out of As to Jamaica, the Hamburg-Amerika Company must, consideration. This is the subject of separate action (see 48073 and previous papers), and we are to some extent fettered by the agreement with the Atlas Com- pany The question of this firm should, I therefore think, be dealt with indepen- dently of the general question. I am inclined to think, however, that we should give instructions for the furniture and stores to be sold unless they are being used by Government.
The other two firms of importance in Jamaica are Von Bruhn & Company and Von Bruhn, who is a neutral subject, appears to Wessels & Von Gonthard. have been sole owner of his business, which has been liquidated on behalf of his Wessels Brothers & Von Gonthard creditors without Government intervention.
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