* The Coal Bill in the House of Lords In
the Committee stage_of the Coal Bill in the House of Lords on Tuesday the Government accepted an amend- ment by. Lord .Gainford, which, allows coalowners weeks instead . of four for submitting their schemes for regulating the production and sale of coal. Lord Melchett led a strong attack on that part of the Bill which gives the Board of Trade power to prepare schemes when the coalowners fail to present any. Lord Melchett said that this compulsion made the Board of Trade absolute arbiter. It meant nationalization, except that the Government would run no risk of losing money. The spokesmen of the Government naturally objected that Lord Melchett's amendment would make it possible for a few coalowneis to wreck the whole scheme, and Lord Salisbury wisely pointed out that the House ought not to go so far -as to carry an amendment which would stultify the first part of a Bill to which a-second reading had been given. Ulti- mately Lord Melchett was appeased by being invited to suggest a new form of Words which might satisfy both him and the Government, and •he accordingly- withdrew his amendment.
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