24 NOVEMBER 1950, Page 7

I must congratulate my colleague Peterborough, of the Daily Telegraph,

on resurrecting, on the day the latest coal-crisis was reported, a helpful observation made by Mr. Aneurin Bevan in 945: "This island is almost made of coal and surrounded by fish. Only an organising genius could produce a shortage of coal and fish in Great Britain at the same time."

But to do those concerned justice, no one has. It needs Mr. Tom Williams to complete the process. Why is he in default on his half of it ? (If we only had a bit of coal we could have some fried fish if we only had a bit of fish.)