25. Mr. MONTAGUE BARLOWasked the President of the Board of Trade whether Herr Hugo Stinnes, the representative of the German coal monopoly known as the Westphalian Coal Syndicate, has within the last few years conducted large operations for purchase of Welsh coal in Cardiff and Swansea; and whether he has purchased, or has acquired interests in, any coal mines in Wales or other parts of the country?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Runciman)Large purchases of coal were made in Cardiff and Swansea during the last few years by Hugo Stinnes, Limited, a company in which all the shares were held by Mr. Hugo Stinnes. On the application of the Board of Trade the Court appointed a controller of the company in December last, and the company's operations have recently been limited to realising certain of its assets and discharging the debts owing by the company in this country. I have no information that interests in coal mines in Wales have been acquired by Mr. Stinnes, but 48½ per cent, of the issued capital of the Northern Union Mining Company, Limited, is registered in the names of Mr. Stinnes and Hugo Stinnes, Limited, a further 48½ per cent, of the issued capital being held by a German company. The Northern Union Mining Company, Limited, has acquired extensive coal mining leases in Yorkshire and Nottnghamshire, and I appointed a supervisor of the business last December.