The Coal Commission - Captain Crookshank, the Minister for Mines,
made a welcome statement in the House of Commons on Tuesday, when he announced that, at an early date, the Govern- ment -Will confer effective powers on the Coal Mines 'Reorganisation Commission. In its last report the Commission stated that its activities were at a standstill. Rejection of its West - Yorkshire partial amalgamation scheme had left it no choice but to proceed with total amalgamation schemes, involving financial mergers. But it appeared that the Commission, under the Coal Mines Act of 1930, had no power to effect such schemes. The Government • intervened with a request to the Com- mission to suspend its activities, and now, having considered the position, it promises to confer bill com- pulsory-powers on the Commission. The colliery owners suggest that to revive the question of financial mergers is unfortunate at this moment when they are busy setting their house in order with the promised reorganisation of selling and when the Government is nationalising royalties. But they might reflect that they bear a heavy responsi- bility and that the Commission will have no need to exert its extended powers over firms that put their houses in order for themselves.
Previous page
