§ Mr. BRACEasked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the stoppage of work at the Copper Pit Colliery, Morriston, Glamorganshire, through the action of the management insisting upon the winding of horses to the surface alternately with the workmen, thus causing delay in the winding of the whole body of workmen; whether he is aware that both workmen and horses are raised within the period of time approved by the inspector of mines for the district, notwithstanding the provisions of the Coal Mines (Hours) Regulation Act of 1910; will he say what steps he will take to put an end to the practice and to facilitate the restarting of the colliery; and whether he will now reconsider the periods of time approved by the mines inspector of the district of South Wales, which have been, by experience, proved to be excessive for the purposes intended by the said Act?
§ Mr. McKENNAMy attention has been called to this case. The winding times in South Wales were fixed on the same principle as in other districts, a certain margin of time over and above the bare minimum required being allowed for contingencies in order to prevent accidents being caused by haste in winding; and no complaint has up to the present reached the Department that the times are excessive for the purpose. It was not intended, of course, that the additional time allowed for contingencies should be utilised in the manner mentioned in the question—a practice which obviously defeats the very object which the time is allowed; and I have instructed the inspector to inform the owners that it will be necessary to reconsider the winding times at the mine. If there are other cases in which it is considered that the winding times are excescive they should be brought to the notice of the divisional inspector.