Realizing the complexity of the enemy property question we have secured a statement from the Custorian,, Lord Addington, who wishes. it to be known that he is only too willing to receive queries on such subjects as the above. His chief desire is that.in all cases of dubiety such as those we have mentioned the claim should be submitted to him immediately, and he points out that if claims coming under the April agreement are not registered before October 31 they will be definitely shut out. He mentions that a great deal of what has already been done with reference to this matter must be regarded as in the nature of a preliminary step, and the only enactment under which payment can be made in very many cases is the present Anglo-German Agreement. Where doubt exists Lord Addington is prepared to receive the claim, provided it is accompanied by the necessary statement of the circumstances and sent in immediately, and he trusts that this will be done rather than that firms should risk being shut out of payment.
The agreement of April last provides that when claims are entered they will, whenever possible, be notified to the German debtor, who is called upon either to admit or contest them If contested they may be decided by arbitration before an Anglo-German Mixed Tri-burial, and the matter settled in that way. Apparently, however, prolonged proceedings are not anticipated, for, as we have pointed out, the initial payments will probably be made about the end of the present year. They will be made as far as possible to firms in the order in which they have presented their claims, but when they it will be in the form of a first dividend or full payment depends upon the relation of the amount claimed to the total sum in the hands of the Custodian. It is hoped, as a matter of fact, when the account is finally closed that payments will have amounted practically to the full total of the sums claimed, although at present it is impossible to state whether this will prove to be the case.
THE engagement is announced from Weihaiwei of Lieut. Morice Blood, r.x., of H.M.S.- Titania, younger son of Dr. and Mrs. Blood, of Birkenhead, England, and Miss Doris Lavers, daughter of Mrs. Lavers and the late Mr.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.