§ Captain BOWYERasked the President of the Board of Trade whether the export of coal is going to be further reduced; if so, how will this affect the extension of coal-mining developments; and, seeing that this further reduction will ultimately injure industry as a whole and in view of the importance of export from the point of view of exchange, if he will refrain from making any reduction?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANThe indications are that if home demands for industry are to be met there must, in the absence of greatly increased production, be reduction of coal export. It is not considered that this will prejudicially affect coalmining developments. As to the latter part of the question, it would appear that industry as a whole in this country would be more seriously injured by a shortage of coal for carrying on home factories, and by the consequent result that large numbers of men would be thrown out of work.