§ 62. Mr. Rhys Daviesasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether the purpose he had in view, when the Prime Minister addressed a recent conference of representatives of the mining industry, has been achieved?
Major Lloyd GeorgeI am satisfied that the Prime Minister's speech did more than anything else to bring home to the representatives of the industry assembled from all the coalfields of the country the vital part played by the industry in the war effort.
§ Mr. DaviesIs it possible to reduce the value of the great oratorical powers of the Prime Minister to so many thousand tons increase per week in coal production; and, if so, is it not possible to use those oratorical powers once a month or once a fortnight?
Major Lloyd GeorgeI should have thought the hon. Gentleman would appreciate that the Prime Minister is a fairly busy person. If I could get him to address 700,000 miners, no one would be more glad than I, but he did the next best thing and addressed a gathering of representatives.