§ 100. Mr. CAIRNSasked the Secretary for Mines if he can say what the royalty, rents, and wayleaves were in 1914 and now in the County of Northumberland; what were the ships' freights in June, 1914, and now; and what were the railway carriage rates in 1914 and now; and can he give the total royalties, wayleaves, carriage, and freights paid for the year 1921 in each district and for the country?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI have no information as to the amount of the royalties, rents and wayleaves in Northumberland in 1914; in the quarter ended September, 1921, which is the latest period for which particulars are available, they amounted to 10½d. per ton for coal raised. I am advised that ships' freights from Blyth to London in June, 1914, were 2s. 9d. to 3s. per ton, as compared with 5s. to 5s. 6d. per ton now. The railway rate on coal from collieries in the neighbourhood of Newcastle-on-Tyne to London was 9s. 6d. per ton in June, 1914, and at present it is 13s. 6d. per ton. Particulars of the royalties, etc., paid in each district in the first nine months of 1921 will be found in the quarterly summaries published by the Mines Department. I have no similar information about carriage and freights.