Letter from Price, Waterhouse & Co., to Mrs. R. Bacci, December 2, 1940

Typewritten letter from Price, Waterhouse & Co., to Mrs. R. Bacci, written on December 2, 1940.

Price Waterhouse & Co. was an agent employed by the Custodian of Enemy Property (CEP), a branch of the Canadian government that oversaw the administration of assets belonging to internees and other enemy aliens. The government office served a dual function. Acting as a trustee for the internee/enemy alien, the office and its agents also protected the interests of the creditors. The CEP would pay off an internee’s debts by selling his or her property or businesses. It also collected money owed to internees by others. Each accounting firm hired by the CEP would bill an internee for administrative costs even though internees did not ask for the CEP to be involved.

In cases where internees did not have any assets or debts of note, CEP often would remove themselves from the case.

In the Bacci's case, it seems Ruggero Bacci had written CEP noting his wife would manage his assets and be responsible for his debts and bills during his internment.