§ Sir R. GOWERasked the Secretary far Mines whether he is aware that the owners of most of the Goal mines in the Lancashire division have adopted mechanical means of haulage underground to the total exclusion of horse and pony haulage; and whether he will consider the desirability of issuing a special circular urging colliery owners in other divisions to act in a similar way?
§ Mr. SHINWELLThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. In the Lancashire coalfield the high inclination of the seams specially lends itself to the use of combined gravity and mechanical haulage, and in fact makes the employment of horses for the most part1134W impossible. In most other parts of the country there are methods of work and conditions which lend themselves to horse haulage; and in some cases, indeed, the only alternative to it is man-haulage. In these circumstances, the answer to the second part of the question is in the negative. It is, however, the considered policy of my Department to give every possible encouragement to the substitution of mechanical for horse haulage wherever working conditions permit.