§ 102. Sir STUART COATSasked the President of the Board of Trade what are Sir Richard Redmayne's qualifications for giving opinions on matters of a commercial or financial character in connection with collieries or similar undertakings?
§ Mr. SHORTTI have been asked to reply to this question. Sir Richard Redmayne's association with the coal-mining industry has been of such an intimate and comprehensive character that there is no side of it on which he is not fully qualified to speak. His title to advise on the commercial and financial side is based on the following experience: He was manager for a number of years of large collieries in Northumberland, and also of mines in South Africa. He subsequently enjoyed a large practice as a consulting mining engineer in Birmingham, and was managing director of two important coal and iron-mining companies in North Staffordshire and director of a colliery company in South Wales. He was a member of the Miners' Eight Hours Day Committee in 1907, and since 1908 has been Chief Inspector of Mines under the Home Office. During the War he has been Chairman of the Coal Mining Organisation Committee and the Coke Committee, Vice-Chairman of the Coal and Coke Supplies Committee, and member of the Coal Export and Coal Conservation Committees. For the last two years he has taken charge of the Production Section of the Coal Controller's Department and has acted as chief technical adviser to the Controller.
§ Sir S. COATESHas Sir Richard Redmayne ever had sole control and management of any large colliery undertaking?
§ Mr. SHORTTYes; I think that that is so.