§ Colonel Sir C. SEELYasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will arrange for a sufficient quantity of this year's hay crop to be reserved on farms adjoining collieries to provide for their requirements for the coming year, and thereby avoid the waste of transport which was caused this spring by the action of the Army authorities?
Sir A. STANLEYUnder the new arrangements for dealing with this year's crop of hay the distribution of the supplies required for civil needs will be in the hands of a civilian committee, and the point raised by the hon. and gallant Member will be brought to the notice of that committee. At the request of the Controller of Coal Mines, the Board of Agriculture is engaged in taking a census of the acreage of grass land on colliery farms producing hay, and the expected yield. As soon as this census is complete it will have the joint consideration of the two Departments, and the necessary measures will be taken.