DONCASTER AREA DRAINAGE BILL. (Hansard, 8 May 1929)

THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY OF THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES (THE EARL OF STRADBROKE)

My Lords, I beg to move that this Bill be now read a second time. The object of the Bill is to sot up a central drainage authority for the low-lying area around the town of Doncaser, and also to provide means for dealing with any loss of efficiency that may occur in the drainage system of that area by subsidence caused by the working of minerals. The Hatfield Chase, well known to many of your Lordships, is in this area. That Chase used to be all swamp and mere, but as long ago as the early part of the seventeenth century it was drained by the famous Dutch engineer, Sir Cornelius Vermuyden. The system he adopted was to lead away the waters coming from the higher ground, which at that time were finding their way by various channels into the Rivers Don and Idle, from the Chase and having done that he was able to concentrate on the draining of the lower areas. The difficulty there was that these areas were below the high water level of the rivers into which all the waters both from the higher ground and the lower areas finally found their way. This led to a very complicated 455 system of pumps and sluices being adopted.

This Chase and the adjoining area covers a very important coalfield in which seven collieries are now in existence, and it will be readily realised that the effect of these collieries being further developed will lead almost certainly to a considerable subsidence of land. The problem presented in this way was mentioned before the Royal Commission which dealt with mining subsidence, and it was dealt with by a special Commission in the year 1926–27. The Bill is based on the findings of that body. The Commissioners included representatives of all the interests concerned and their Report was unanimous. As a further safeguard it was arranged that this Bill should be referred to a Select Committee of both Houses of Parliament after it had received a Second Reading in another place. That Committee reported in favour of the Bill.

At the beginning of my speech I mentioned that there were two objects of this Bill. The first is to appoint a comprehensive drainage authority to deal with the whole area concerned, and with all the area that is likely to be affected by subsidence. That authority will have direct control of the main rivers and main drains to conduct the water away and it will also have power of general supervision over existing internal drainage districts. It is hoped that it will be able to co-ordinate their activities. The second object is to impose a definite liability on the mine owners, who will be called upon to pay for the damage that is caused to the drainage system owing to any subsidence. In some cases the mine owners will restore the damage that is done at their own expense straight away. In other cases, the matter will be dealt with by the central authority, who will have under this Bill power to recover the expenses so incurred from the mine owners. Authority is also given to recover a proper proportion of the expense from the surface owners and the owners of royalties.

Perhaps I might mention before I sit down that this Bill will not conflict in any way with the general Drainage Bill which we hope will be introduced on the lines proposed by the Royal Commission on Land Drainage. There is nothing in this Bill to affect that and this drainage 456 scheme can easily be attached to a larger scheme—for example, to a catchment area or anything of that sort. The only reason for introducing this Bill now is that it is a matter of urgency because the collieries are in existence and subsidence may take place, and it is only right and proper that there should be means of dealing with any difficulties that may arise. Delay would be unfortunate. I hope, therefore, that your Lordships will give a Second Reading to this Bill, especially as those on whom it is proposed to lay obligations have agreed in principle to those obligations. I beg to move.