§ 43. Mr. THOMAS-STANFORDasked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Corporation of Brighton, both directly and through its waterworks engineer, has during the last six months made frequent and urgent representations to the Coal Controller as to the short supply of coal received at the pumping stations of the Brighton Waterworks undertaking, the shortage amounting in eight months to 2,000 tons on the quantity allotted; that these representations have had no result; that it has now been found necessary to give notice to the War Office that the supply of water to the military camp and convalescent hospital at Shore- ham and to the numerous hospitals in the large area served by the undertaking is endangered and may have to be discontinued, one of the pumping stations having only six days' stock of coal; and whether, in view of the seriousness of the situation, he will take immediate steps to ensure that an adequate supply is forwarded?
§ Mr. WARDLEAccording to figures supplied by the Brighton Corporation Waterworks, they have in stock at present more than four weeks' supply of coal. Deliveries have fallen off during the past month, partly due to disputes between colliery companies and the contractors supplying the corporation and latterly through the effect of the comb-out of miners. The contractors to the corporation have promised to give the question of supplies special attention.