GOVERNMENT’S COAL PLAN ADOPTED

Southland Times, Issue 24769, 13 June 1942, Page 5

GOVERNMENT’S COAL PLAN ADOPTED

(Rec. 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, June 11. The debate on the Government’s coal plan concluded in the House of Commons when an amendment by Mr J. Maxton (Independent Labour Party) was defeated by 309 votes to eight and the proposals of the White Paper were •carried without a further division* The debate had been resumed by the President of the Board of Trade, Dr Hugh Dalton, who informed the House that the new Minister of Fuel (Major Gwylim Lloyd George) hoped to have a full discussion with representatives of the Miners’ Federation and the Mining Association. Dr Dalton said the Government attached great importance to stopping any unnecessary consumption that might be taking place at present on a considerable scale. A scheme to that end was now being worked out in detail. The Government would do its utmost to give full support to a sustained campaign designed to secure voluntary education on a large scale. Mr Maxton’s amendment .condemned the Government scheme of reorganization' of the mining industry as being framed with too great a regard for the private interests of the coal owners and too little appreciation of the hardships of the workers in the industry.

Winding up the debate the Leader of the House, Sir Stafford Cripps, said the issue raised by the amendment was quite straight and clear the issue of nationalization. In other circumstances and at other times it might be that some might take a different view upon ■that issue, but the present scheme was provided to deal with the immediate situation of how to get the most production from the mines.