§ MR. CRAWFORDI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to complaints from certain collieries in Lanarkshire, of contraventions of the Mines Regulation Act by the owners, in refusing to pay for any coal in a hutch so far as it exceeds the specified weight of 8 cwts., and in failing to give due facilities for testing weighing-machines, by not providing 964 weights for the purpose; and whether he has inquired into these complaints; and, if so, what steps he intends to take?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. MATTHEWS,) Birmingham, E.Yes, Sir; my attention has been called to these complaints. With regard to the first, I have given direction to the Inspector to arrange for the determination of the legal question in a Court of Law. As to the second, I am advised that there is no legal obligation imposed on the owners to provide weights for the purpose of testing weighing machines. I may remind the hon. Member that Section 15 of the Coal Mines Act of 1887 requires the Inspector of Weights and Measures to inspect and examine the weighing machines at a mine.