61. Colonel NEWMANasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that, owing to the substitution of sea-borne coal from Northumberland for rail-borne coal from the Midlands, the South of England is being forced to take a quality of coal unsuitable for the purposes required, with no diminution but increase of cost, besides delay in transhipping the coal from vessel to railway truck; is it intended that the Order of the Coal Controller, made in July, shall be maintained during the winter; and, if so, will he consent to receive a deputation of coal users as to the hardships caused by the Order?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANIt is true that owing to the shortage of coal in the Midlands it has been necessary to require certain consumers in the South of England to take sea-borne coal from Northumberland and Durham on which the transport charges are higher than on the rail-borne coal previously received, but my right hon. Friend is unable to agree that the sea-borne coals are unsuitable for the purposes for which they are being supplied, and it is feared that as we are now approaching the period of increased consumption with depleted 1672 stocks he cannot promise that it will be possible to remove the restrictions at the present moment. The Coal Controller will, however, be pleased to receive a deputation of coal users and to give them an opportunity of stating their views as to the effect of the restrictions.