CO129-432 - Governor Sir May - 1916 [3-5] — Page 650

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which would in the ordinary way have been credited to any of the factories in enemy territory should be placed at the disposal of the Custodian of enemy property before or at the close of the war, in the same manner as other enemy property in the Colony. It would also be possible to provide that any profits made by Mr. Munton on his trading during the war should not be included in any re-transfer of the undertaking at the close of the war, but it cannot be denied that it would be impossible to prevent Mr. Hunton afterwards handing these profits to the Siemens China Co. To this extent therefore it is possible that Mr. Munton's trading may conceivably be, partly at least, for the benefit of an enemy.

to keeping alive the name of Siemens in the local market, it seems a little difficult to take measures to suppress the use of this name so long as the two English Siemens Companies continue to use it.

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13.

With regard

The chief considerations which would appear to justify allowing Mr. Manton to continue his present business are (a) the international character of the Siemens combine, and (b) the fact that it is a means of support for Mr. Munton, who is e British subject, and his wife and infant children. There is also a question as to whether the Siemens China Co. would come within the definition of alien enemy in the Alien Enemies (Winding up) Ordinances so as to enable a winding up order to be made. It might| however, be possible to argue that the trade was carried on here partly by the German Siemens factories through the medium of the Siemens China Co., and in that way to justify a winding up order. I om inclined to think that Mr. Munton would acquiesce in any order which might be made,

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The principal considerations against allowing

Mr. Munt on to continue are that he is keeping alive the name of the

Siemens combine, which is of preponderant German character, and that it is very likely that the business will be re-transferred to

the Siemens combine after the war.

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