§ Mr. RENDALLasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the strike of coal miners in the Bristol coalfields; whether he is aware that this strike affects some 3,000 workers, and, as a consequence, many more thousands of persons; whether the recent Board of Trade inquiry which resulted in a report that the coalowners could not afford to pay increased wages is the only and final effort of the Board to deal with the present position of affairs; and whether he will approach the royalty owners, whose demands for the full payment of their royalties in the embarrassed state of these coalfields is alleged to be the solo cause of the strike?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Buxton)In accordance with an agreement arrived at between the parties, an inquiry into this dispute was recently made by an investigator 706 appointed by the Board of Trade. He reported that the present financial condition of the colliery companies' does not permit of the colliery owners conceding the advance in wages asked for by the men. I do not think that it is practicable for me to approach the royalty owners in the manner suggested by my hon. Friend, but his suggestion shall be carefully considered.