§ Mr. ELLIS DAVIESasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he had received a request from the Carnarvonshire Quarry Owners' Association asking for representation on the Mines Commission; and what reply he has made to such request?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. Churchill)Yes, Sir, I received the letter referred to last Wednesday, and regret that I am unable to entertain the application of this Association for a special representative on the Commission. In the case of this, as of other Royal Commissions, various bodies in different parts of the country have applied for special representation, and it would be impossible to comply without making the Commission far too unwieldy for the purposes of such an inquiry.
§ Mr. ELLIS DAVIESMay I ask whether last week the right hon. Gentleman did not promise to re-consider the matter, with a view to the appointment on the Commission of a representative of this Association?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLNo, Sir; I am aware of that. I do not think I prejudged the matter in any way. I have considered it in the interval very carefully, and I think my hon. Friend must consider the importance of keeping the Commission at workable and convenient numbers.
§ Mr. ELLIS DAVIESDoes the right hon. Gentleman think the number of Commissioners is more important than the representation of real interests on the Commission.
§ Mr. CHURCHILLIf I were to attempt to give full representation to all the different sectional interests over the country— one to employers and one workmen in each case, I should have a Parliament instead of a Commission.