§ MR. CORRANCEasked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to institute any inquiry, by commission or otherwise, into the causes which have led to the existing failure in the supply of Coal?
MR. GLADSTONEI cannot wonder that, in the present extraordinary and very exceptional state of the market for the supply of coal, the public interest that is felt with regard to it should find expression in the Question of the hon. Gentleman. And I may say that a proof that we do not regard the question of the supply of coal as absolutely beyond the view and action of the Executive Government may be found in the measure adopted by the Government some time ago, when a Commission was appointed for the purpose of investigating and prosecuting an inquiry with respect to that supply. But, of course, the Question of the hon. Gentleman has reference to the momentary state of the market. Well, with respect to that subject, so limited, I will confine myself to stating that we do not intend to make any inquiry by Commission or otherwise, and the reason we have arrived at that decision is, that we doubt very much whether it is a subject in respect of which any prominent action or interference of the Executive Government would be advantageous.