§ 61. Mr. STEPHEN WALSHasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether a local inquiry has been held into the circumstances under which the employers at the Maypole Colliery, near Wigan, have deprived the workmen, paid according to the weight of the mineral gotten by them, of one of the places hitherto appointed for the weighing of the mineral; whether, if such local inquiry has not been held, he will see that both the workmen and the employers have a full opportunity of stating their case at any inquiry that may take place; whether, in default of such inquiry, he can state under what Section of the Coal Mines Regulation Acts the employers have power to abandon a place hitherto appointed for the weighing of the mineral so long as all the other conditions of the workmen remain unchanged; and, in view of the local feeling that the check-weighers appointed are being unfairly treated, will he cause a test case to be entered to decide the issues involved?
§ Mr. McKENNAI have received a report from the inspector as to the arrangements at this mine, but I am quite willing before coming to any decision in the matter to give both parties a full opportunity of stating their views, and I am sending instructions to the inspector to visit the mine for this purpose at the earliest possible date.