29 NOVEMBER 1919, Page 3

In his statement on Monday Sir Auckland Geddes admitted that

coal used in this country was sold at an average price below the average cost of production, and that this was " a very unsatisfactory and very dangerous position." He inferred, rightly, that the Coal Control ought to be modified, as it was " unnecessarily hampering." He proposed, therefore, to restrict the control to a limitation of (1) the amount of coal exported, (2) the coal-owners' profits, and (3) the price of household coal. It is understood that a Bill will shortly be introduced to limit the owners' profits to Is. 2d. a ton, as proposed by Mr. Justice Sankey and the three independent members of the Coal Commission in their interim Report of March 20th last.