TOBACCO SUPPLIES. Memo. by President of the Board of Trade.

WAR CABINET. LORD PRESIDENT'S COMMITTEE. THE COAL SITUATION & RATIONING. Note by the Secretary for Mines. Since L.P.(42)30 was written the Coal Production Council have had an opportunity of reviewing the production position in relation to man—power and the returns recently received from collieries on the possibilities of up-grading men to the "face". In spite of a general desire to keep the man-power requirements of the industry down to a minimum during this critical period, the latest experience in regard to production gives no adequate ground for thinking that it will be possible to meet the proposed programme with a smaller labour force than 720,000 and the heavy drain on our reserves during the last month shows the danger of cutting margins too fine.