§ Sir R. GOWERasked the Secretary for Mines the approximate number of mines at which the secondary haulage is still carried out by means of horses and ponies; and whether there are any adequate technical reasons for the use of horses and ponies for secondary haulage in any mine at present?
§ Mr. E. BROWNThe total number of mines at which horses are employed belowground is approximately 1,000, and except to this extent, the information asked for in the first part of the question is not available. As regards the second part, this matter cannot be considered solely from the technical point of view, and, while it is, and always has been, the policy of my Department to encourage the substitution of mechanical for horse haulage, I am satisfied that there are good reasons for continuing to employ horses for secondary haulage in some mines.