§ MR. D. A. THOMASI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that at the 333 Caerphilly Petty Sessions on Tuesday last 15 summonses, taken out at the instance of Mr. Joseph Samuel Martin, the mines inspector for the district, against the proprietors, agent, and manager of the Llanbradach Colliery for various alleged breaches of the Mines Regulation Act, were in every case dismissed; whether he is aware that the Llanbradach Colliery is what is known as a non-associated colliery, not involved in the dispute now pending in the South Wales coal trade, and at which the men are at work at an advance in wages; and whether, having regard to the desirability of observing on the part of the Home Office the strictest neutrality in the dispute, he will caution the mines inspector for the Monmouthshire district to avoid anything in the nature of vexatious prosecutions or interference with the non-associated collieries now and after the general resumption of work?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENTThis prosecution was undertaken by my directions. When I gave those directions I had no information as to the mine being a non-associated colliery, or as to the rate of wages; they are entirely irrelevant matters to the question of the prosecution. I do not think that the inspector needs any such caution as suggested.