§ Sir JOHN ROLLESTONasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present position of the German colliery at Harworth, in the county of Nottingham; whether he is aware that 28,000 acres of coal bearing land in South Yorkshire and North Nottinghamshire has been leased to the Northern Union Mining Company, Limited, a company mainly owned and controlled by German capitalists; whether he is aware that this company has petitioned Parliament against a railway Bill, promoted in the present Session, to construct a railway from Worksop to Bawtry; whether it is the intention of the Government that these leases should continue to be held by aliens; and whether the Government propose to take any steps to prevent such a company petitioning against a Bill promoted in the British Parliament?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe sinking operations preparatory to the working of this colliery, which were in progress before the outbreak of war, have been suspended, and it is now lying idle in the charge of a few workmen as caretakers. I believe that it is the case that most of the capital of the company is owned by Germans, but the company is 271W registered in this country under the Companies Act and is, I understand, entitled under Standing Orders of this House to petition against a private Bill. I am informed that the petition it has presented against the Worksop and Bawtry Bill is already under the consideration of a Committee.