§ MR. BROADHURST (for Mr. BURT)asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, If his attention has been called to the eviction of a large number of miners and their families from their houses at Denaby Main Colliery; whether he is aware that when a workman obtains employment at the colliery named he is compelled to live in a house belonging to the Company, provided the Company have a house unoccupied, even though the workman may be able to obtain a better and cheaper house elsewhere; whether he is aware that the workmen are forced to sign an agreement to allow the rent to be deducted from their wages; and, whether, if the facts be as stated, he is prepared to deal with the subject by fresh legislation, so as to prevent an infringement of the spirit, if not the letter, of the Truck Act?
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURT, in reply, said, he had received a Report from the Inspector of the district in which this colliery was situated, and it was to the effect that no pressure had been brought to bear upon the colliers to induce them to occupy the houses belonging to the Colliery Company. It seemed to be a condition that if the men occupied those houses the rent would be deducted from their wages. Under these circumstances, it appeared to him (Sir William Harcourt) that there was no infringement of the Truck Act.