§ Mr. George Griffiths (Hemsworth)I want to raise one or two points which have nothing to do with cartoons but with bread and butter. I am sorry I have not been able to give to the Minister of Fuel and Power or to the Parliamentary Secretary notice of this question. It is a question affecting the mining industry, and the 1293 people in it who can ill afford to be affected in this way, and concerns compensation. I had a letter this morning which upset me very much. It is upsetting the mining community, the men who are getting the coal, and the entire industry. The first case I want to mention is that of a widow who lost her husband in the second week in January this year, and we are now in the fifth month. She has not had a penny of any kind, except from the Poor Law authorities. The Carlton Main Colliery Company have agreed that this widow is entitled to £400; they agreed this three months ago, but she has not received a penny up to date. Therefore I want to know whether some means can be devised whereby people entitled to such money can get it more quickly than they do at present.
Now I want to draw attention to the case of a man who has been injured, and who cannot work. His compensation 1294 has been wiped out entirely; all he has been given is a declaration of liability. This matter was raised at a branch meeting at Frickley last Sunday and caused great indignation. This man, who has been a coal-face worker, has suffered a serious injury. The medical profession say that he can work, but the man conscientiously states that it is impossible for him to work. I wish I could have followed the speech made by the hon. Member for Rugby (Mr. W. J. Brown), because there is nothing that causes greater discontent in the mining industry than for mine-workers to feel that one of their own men has been dealt with unjustly. So I ask the Home Secretary and the Minister of Fuel and Power to look into these cases, and in conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I want to thank you for having allowed me to catch your eye for a few minutes.
§ Question, "That this House do now adjourn," put, and agreed to.