Denaby Colliery Prosecutions

A Denaby pony driver, named WM. Johnson, was summoned at the instance of the Denaby Main collieries, LTD., for having committed a breach of colliery rule four.

Mr. W. M. Gichard who prosecuted, explained that the rule provided that no person should do an act which would be likely to endanger the safety of persons in the mine.

The defendant was a driver in the Montagu district of the Denaby mine, and about 5.20 in the afternoon of 2 October, he was seen by two other drivers to deliberately pull from the side of the road some battens which supported the roof.

As a result a fall occurred, and the work was interfered with. This was not the first time that this practice had been indulged in, and the company wanted to stop it.

The defendant pleaded guilty, and the chairman said he would be fined 30s including the costs.

Bernard Eckford, pony driver, Swinton, appeared on an adjourned summons to answer a charge of breaking special rule four at the Denaby Main colliery.

Mr. W. M. Gichard appeared for the company, and said that the case was adjourned last week to enable the company to proceed witnesses, as that they previous hearing Eckford had pleaded not guilty after giving the company to understand that he admitted the offence.

Frank Clark, the corporal, repeated his evidence of the previous week, in which he said he saw defendant at the junction of two roads, and heard him say “I’ll show you how to wrap the wires,” at the same time raising his lamp. He afterwards saw the pit corporal in charge of the wiring, when said that a signal call came.

Horace Deakin, the corporall, who received the signal, gave evidence to the effect that a signal was received. A lamp placed in close proximity to the wires would cause a “rap” to be sent along.

The chairman said that as the costs were heavy defendant would have to pay 15 shillings towards them.