HC Deb 22 December 1919 vol 123 cc1092-4W
Captain LOSEBY

asked the Minister of Labour who are the persons composing the Whitley Council for the tin-mining industry of Cornwall; whether the question of miners' wages and the conditions of tribute work and contract work in tin mines has been considered by the council; whether any agreement has been arrived at; whether employers as a body in this industry have refused to submit to arbitration with respect to claims for increased wages; if so, what are the grounds of such refusal; whether employers as a body have published any reasons setting forth the grounds upon which it is considered impossible to advance wages in this industry; what was the date of such refusal; what were the prices of block tin and block metal at the time of such refusal; and what are the prices at the present moment?

Sir R. HORNE

The names of the officers and members of the Joint Industrial Council for the Tin Mining Industry are as follows:

  • Chairman. — C. A. Moreing, Messrs. Bewick, Moreing and Company, 62, London Wall, E.C. 2.
  • Vice-Chairman.—J. Harris, Courtenay Chambers, Courtenay Street, Plymouth.
  • Secretary.—J. A. Stephens, Treruffe Hill, Redruth.
  • Employers' representatives, Tin-mining Employers' Federation.—O. Wethered, J Faull, R. A. Thomas, T. Negus, J. Paull, J. Wickett, J. Gilbert, A. Richards, M. T. Taylor, Major F.
  • Oats, C. V. Thomas, W. J. Hocking, T. E. Bennett, J V. Thomas, C. A. Moreing.
  • Workers' representatives, Workers' Union.—J. H. Tresise, J. H. Bennetts, W. Uglow, J. H. Craze, W. J. Crowley, T. W. Watters, J Harris.
  • The Dock, Wharf, Riverside and General Workers' Union.—D. Hillman, A. Wilkens, H. Hocking, J. R. Rowe, T. 0. Bore, A. E. Jackett.
  • Craft Unions.—One representative.
The wages questions referred to by my hon. Friend have been discussed by the Council. It would, however, be premature to make any statement in respect of the position pending the results of the inquiry into the industry now being undertaken by the Board of Trade. I should, however, state that as far as I am aware the employers have not refused arbitration.

Mr. SIMM

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that his statement that the wages of tin-miners at Levant Mine, Cornwall, averaged between 10s. and 11s. per day has been received with considerable dissatisfaction, and those engaged allege that the actual earnings of tin-miners at this mine and other mines in Cornwall are only from £8 to £9 per month; and whether, in this connection, he will arrange for a monthly return of shifts worked, wages earned, and total number employed to be printed each month in the "Labour Gazette," and make the return applicable to all the important non-ferrous metal-mining industries, showing the position of the Cornwall tin- miners, the lead-miners of Derby, Durham, and Scotland, the zinc-miners of Northumberland and Durham, those engaged in mining barytes in Shropshire, and the oil shale-miners where mining operations are conducted?

Sir R. HORNE

I have made inquiry and have verified the accuracy of the statement made in my reply of 10th December, namely, that the approximate average wage of the tin-miners employed in the Levant Mine for the four weeks preceding the accident was at the rate of from 10s. to 11s. per day per man. In other mines the earnings are understood to vary considerably according to the particular occupation in which the men are engaged and the methods by which they are paid. Some information as to the state of employment at tin, lead, and shale mines is already collected and published regularly in the "Labour Gazette." I will consider whether it may be possible to arrange for the publication of more detailed information.