Denaby Mine Infringement

Samuel Gower was summoned at the instance of the Denaby Main Colliery Company for being in the pit with a tobacco pipe on his person. By this he infringed special rule 99, which provides that no person shall take tobacco, pipes, or smoking appliances of any kind into the mine.

On the day in question was designed to search the men who went down the pit, and this decision, the men were not cognisant of.

William Lawrence, Cpl, Denaby Main, was called, and stated that he had been instructed to search the men, after having been himself searched by two of them. He found a clay pipe in the waistcoat pocket of defendant.

Mr Hickman, in prosecuting, said the case was clearly only one of forgetfulness, and not a wilful attempt to infringe the rules.

Mr Chambers here enquired if there was anyone in court who could inform him as to whether there was a place at the colliery which was specially for the men to deposit their pipes or tobacco in.

Mr W Sykes Witty, manager, Denaby Main, was called and stated that there was no convenience of that kind at the colliery. The men generally left their pipes in a hole in the wall or among a pile of bricks. Some men arranged with shopkeepers to mind them.

Mr Chambers said it was evident the man had not done it wilfully, therefore the Bench would merely impose a small fine, and order him to pay the costs.

Defendant was fined eight shillings, including costs.