§ Mr. MARKHAMasked the Home Secretary whether, seeing that sub-section (5) of Clause 1 of the Coal Mines (Eight Hours) Bill provides that the time of winding shall be such time not exceeding the time reasonably required for the purpose, he will consult the Law Officers of the Crown on the legality of his action in granting periods of 25 per cent, longer than is actually required to colliery 1328W owners; and whether he is aware that the effect of his action compels day men to work in many cases half an hour per day extra without any corresponding pay?
§ Mr. GLADSTONEMy answer last week was not intended to convey that 25 per cent, had been allowed over and above what was actually required for the lowering or raising of a shift. What has been done is this: the time occupied at the particular mine in lowering one full cage-load of persons was taken and multiplied by the number of cage-loads in the shift. To the result thus obtained, which gives the theoretically quickest possible time that would be taken in lowering the shift, supposing there were no intermission, delays or hitches of any kind, an addition of 25 per cent, was made for minor contingencies. It is obvious, I think, that the bare minimum without any such provision would be unreasonable as regards the owner who is under a statutory obligation not to exceed the time allowed by the inspector, and dangerous as regards the men as being likely to lead to hurry in winding. I am not sure to what the last part of the question refers, but I am informed that in some cases it has been arranged between the representatives of the owners and of the men that the haulage hands shall go down first and come up last. This, however, is not a consideration which can be taken into account by the inspector in fixing the times reasonably required for lowering and raising.
§ Mr. MARKHAMasked the Home Secretary whether he will say if the 25 per cent, increased time granted to colliery owners on the time actually required for winding men is in substitution of Clause 3, sub-section (1), which gives colliery owners the right to work an additional 60 hours per annum; and, if so, whether he is aware that this 25 per cent, is on the average considerably more than 60 hours per annum?
§ Mr. GLADSTONEThe answer to this question is in the negative.