HC Deb 05 November 1934 vol 293 cc659-61W
Sir R. GOWER

asked the Secretary for Mines the number of horses and ponies employed below ground at the end of June, 1934, in the respective districts referred to in his annual report; the total

District. Year ended 30th June, 1934.
Number of Horses on Colliery Books at 30th June Number of Cases of Injury caused by Accidents below ground causing
Death or Destruction. Unfitness for work for seven consecutive days or more.
ENGLAND AND WALES.
1. Northumberland 3,356 103 397
2. Durham 10,510 320 909
3. Cumberland and Westmorland 148 4 12
4. Lancashire and Cheshire 216 2 11
5. Yorkshire, South 2,574 101 337
6. Yorkshire, West 2,615 82 316
7. Nottinghamshire 2,051 53 256
8. Derbyshire, North 2,540 62 452
9. Derbyshire, South 232 4 42
10. Staffordshire, North 75 1
11. Cannock Chase 1,231 56 138
12. Staffordshire, South, and Worcestershire 427 7 51
13. Leicestershire 590 6 81
14. Warwickshire 189 2 21
15. Shropshire 229 12 24
16. Forest of Dean 242 7 24
17. Somersetshire 81 1 5
18. Bristol 43 8
19. Kent
20. South Wales and Monmouthshire 8,950 244 1,512
21. North Wales 192 6
SCOTLAND.
22. Fife and Clackmannan, Kinross and Sutherland. 47 1 3
23. Lothians (Mid and East) and Peebles 61 8
24. Lanarkshire, Linlithgow, Stirling, Renfrew and Dumbarton. 802 29 71
25. Ayrshire, Dumfries and Argyll 65 1 8
Great Britain* 37,751 1,102 4,772
* Including particulars in respect of Mines under the Coal Mines Act in Cleveland, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, which are not included above.

Sir R. GOWER

asked the Secretary for Mines whether there is a maximum load for horses on varying gradients of roads in the mines of South Wales; and if he will consider issuing a recommendation regarding the kind and size of horse which should be employed on gradients

number that were killed and destroyed, respectively, in consequence of injury in the course of work; and the total number injured in the course of work?

Mr. E. BROWN

The information is as follows

going to the rise, having regard to the steepness of the rise and its length and the load that is within the capacity of horses used in such circumstances?

Mr. E. BROWN

The loads assigned to horses are not subject to regulation, ex- cept in so far as the Coal Mines Act prohibits any form of overworking, and in my opinion it is neither practicable nor desirable to make regulations on the subject or even to issue a general recommendation as suggested. The proper adjustment of the task of a horse to its capacity is essentially a matter which calls for care and judgment according to the circumstances of each individual case, and I have no reason to doubt that such care and judgment are being exercised.

Year Number of Coal-face Conveyors driven by Number of Gate Conveyors driven by Percentage of Total Output of Coal conveyed.
Compressed Air. Electricity. Compressed Air. Electricity.
South Yorkshire.
1933 181 136 67 48 23
1932 151 95 49 28 18
1931 162 98 47 26 17
1930 159 90 45 24 14
1929 154 67 24 14 10
West Yorkshire
1933 87 22 9 5 11
1932 89 18 10 3 8
1931 83 16 13 2 7
1930 90 20 13 2 8
1929 89 15 16 4 6