The Coal Bill The Government's Coal Bill was communicated to
the House on Wednesday. Writing before an examination of the Bill, we can only confirm the general opinion that it is a makeshift arrangement. The object of the marketing provisions which form the first part of the Bill is to ensure that the amount of coal supplied and the price charged shall be as nearly as possible in accordance with the state of demand. This is to recognize that a surplus productive capacity is at the bottom of our present troubles. It is prescribed that a central body shall fix the allocations for each of the coalfields, leaving the adjustment of quotas and technical details to district bodies. The second part of the Bill specifies the maximum of seven and a half hours of work in place of the eight hours authorized by Mr. Baldwin's Act.
Lastly, there is to be a National Coalmines Industrial Board, which will have, it appears, mainly arbitral functions.
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