The Power to Expropriate
It is generally recognised that the Government must have ample powers of controlling war production even to the point of taking over going concerns and running them under Government ditection, and this consideration was not forgotten when questions were
asked in the House on Tuesday about the G'overnmen assumption of all the shares in Messrs. Short Bros., the aircr constructors of Rochester. Nor will it be forgotten when questio are asked, as they must be, about the action of the Min' of Fuel in taking control of Point of Ayr Collieries in Flintsh But the very fact that such full powers have been conferred u the Government by Parliament makes it all the more incumbent Ministries to exercise them with strict fairness and none but the of reasons. Such reasons may have existed, in the case of Point Ayr Collieries, but they did not appear in the hearing of the act brought by the owners. Of course, they lost the action, for und the Regulations the Minister is the sole judge of necessity. Yet hearing of the case satisfied the judge that the colliery had remarkable record of output and work and harmonious relatio between owners and men, and he suggested that the Minister mig at least have informed the owners of the grounds on which he acting. The men employed at the colliery are not members of Mineworkers' Federation, but it is to be hoped that that fact h no relevance to the issue. In cases such as this it is necessary t questions should be asked, for Parliament has given overrid powers to Ministers in the interests of the defence of the rea not of officials, and it is its duty to insist that they are fat exercised, and for paramount reasons of public interest only.
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