On Friday, July 28rd, the Mining Industry Bill entered upon
the Report stage in the House of Commons. The Government defended their action in not empowering municipal authorities to trade in coal : they would wait, at any rate, for a report from the newly appointed Com- mittee, to which we refer below, on co-operative distri- bution. Municipal gas companies already trade in coke, and to deal in coal would only be an extension of their activity. But in real competition we do not believe that they would succeed, and we should dread municipal monopolies where competition has hitherto kept up efficiency of service and quality of supplies and has kept down prices. The House also rejected a new clause proposing compulsory arbitration in disputes and a proposal to impose wholesale amalgamations, which would, in the opinion of the Government, practically amount to nationalization.
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