§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That this House do now adjourn."—[Mr. Gulland.]
§ Mr. BONAR LAWMay I ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he has any information to give us in regard to the coal strike?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD Of TRADE (Mr. Buxton)The Prime Minister with the colleagues associated with him, had further conferences to-day with the representatives of the Coalowners' and the representatives of the Miners' Federation respectively. Further conferences will take place to-morrow. The Prime Minister's speech to the miners' conference has been issued to the Press this evening, and will appear to-morrow morning. I do not think I can at the present moment usefully add anything to the information given to the House last night.
§ Mr. BONAR LAWMight I not ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he could not give us, if there is anything new, the substance of what will appear in the papers to-morrow?
§ Mr. BUXTONI have already given the House practically the substance of what will appear in the papers to-morrow. It is a mere recital of the conferences, the times they took place, and, I think, the respective members present, with the Prime Minister's speech to the miners' conference. I am sure that the House will not expect me to repeat the Prime Minister's speech to them now, which will appear to-morrow morning. Really there is nothing in the official report issued to the Press with the exception of the Prime Minister's speech.
§ Mr. BONAR LAWCan you not give the substance of it to show if there is anything new?
§ Mr. BUXTONI think the right hon. Gentleman can hardly press me to give the substance of the Prime Minister's speech. It is of the utmost importance, and to give a summary of it might give a wrong impression. I am keeping nothing back. The speech will appear to-morrow morning, and you will easily understand it would hardly do—that is our opinion at present—to state what occurred at these private conferences.
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI only wish to say that, in a crisis like this, I do not press for anything which the right hon. Gentleman is unable to give. All I desire is to know if there is any substantial change in the situation brought forward in the Prime Minister's speech. We should have been glad to have it, if it was possible to give it to us to-night.
§ Mr. BUXTONThe right hon. Gentleman asks me to give the substance of the Prime Minister's speech. I would really prefer to leave it over for hon. Members to read the whole of the speech. There is one matter which I should like to refer to and which escaped my memory, and that is that the coalowners of Northumberland have accepted the proposals of the Government.
§ Adjourned at Five minutes after Eleven o'clock.