§ MR. WHITMORE (Chelsea)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether, in pursuance of his statement of the 6th inst., he has communicated with the Chairmen of the Coalowners' and the Miners' Federations, and has received their assent to the selection of certain test mines from which Returns might be obtained of the wages earned and the hours worked by the miners for the six months before the commencement of the coal strike?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. MUNDELLA,) Sheffield, BrightsideNo, Sir; in view of the Conference which is to take place tomorrow, I have thought it undesirable to press this inquiry on the two Federations at present.
§ MR. WHITMOREMay I ask whether the proceedings of the Conference will be made public eventually?
§ MR. MUNDELLAThe Conference will be private, but I have no doubt that a shorthand writer will take notes of the proceedings by arrangement, and they will ultimately be made public.