§ 25. Mr. R. RICHARDSONasked the Secretary for Mines if he will call for a return of the times fixed for the commencing and ending of the various shifts for boys employed at the various pits in the County of Durham between the ages of 14 to 18 years, together with the number of hours to be worked by such boys?
§ Colonel LANE FOXNo, Sir, I have no power to do more than enforce the laws which Parliament has made, and I have no reason to believe that they are not being observed.
§ Mr. RICHARDSONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that boys of fourteen years of age are being taken into the pits at midnight, and are "on" until three or four o'clock—that they are in the pit until three o'clock next morning? Does he not think it a scandal to British manhood, and that something ought to be done to protect these boys?
§ Colonel LANE FOXNo, Sir. What I said was that I did not think it necessary. If the hon. Gentleman will tell me that the law is not being properly administered or is being broken, it is my duty to see that it is carried out.
§ Mr. RICHARDSONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that there was no necessity for any law prior to this great change that has been made, and that now this injustice is being perpetrated on these boys? Ought there not to be some inquiry into the matter, in the interests of justice?
§ Colonel LANE FOXI will make inquiries if the hon. Gentleman will help me by telling me what is wrong and where the law has been broken.
§ Mr. BATEYI am not suggesting that the law is broken. Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that young boys between 14 and 18, who formerly finished at four in the afternoon, are not now finishing until ten minutes to nine at night? Does he think that is a proper state of affairs?