asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce to state the number and nominal capital of companies registered in the Free State on December 31st, 1928, distinguishing between private companies and those for the share and debentures of which the public were invited to subscribe, and to state farther the number and nominal capital of the latter companies engaged in each class of business according to the classification used in the Census of Production.
Written Answers. - Registered Companies in Free State.
It is not possible to make the desired distinction between private companies and others or consequently, to identify the business of the others as the records filed in the Office of the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies do not indicate whether companies incorporated prior to the 1st January, 1901, did or did not offer shares or debentures to the public for subscription. It was not until after the passing of the Companies Act, 1900, that is on 1st January, 1901, that it became obligatory on companies to file a copy of the prospectus or statement in lieu of prospectus with the Registrar. The information could be given in respect of companies incorporated on or after 1st January, 1901, but I would suggest that the time and labour involved in making over a period of some weeks the relevant extracts from the records would not be justified.