Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Monday 24 January 1910
Fall of Roof at Cadeby.
Miners Fined for Breach of Rule.
The attention of the West Riding magistrates at Doncaster was occupied for considerable time on Saturday, in hearing a case relative to a breach of special colliery rules at the Cadeby Colliery on November 23rd.
The defendants were Charles H. Goldspink, of Denaby, and Thomas Smith, of Conisborough. Miners.
The case had been adjourned from December 4th owing to Goldspink, who now came in court on crutches then being unable to appear on account of a broken leg, sustained at the time of the alleged breach of rules.
Mr. Gichard, Rotherham, appeared to prosecute, and Mr. Raley, was for the defendant Goldspink. Mr. Gichard explained that the summons was taken out for breach by the defendants of special colliery Rule No. 4. which provided that no person should do anything likely to endanger the safety of persons in the mine. The defendants, as miners working in the same stall were, said Mr. Gichard, jointly responsible. They were engaged partly in building a pack wall, but instead following the usual procedure they, contrary to the rule that props should drawn by a ring and chain, knocked a prop out the top with a hammer, to save themselves the toil of filling in the intervening spaces, and instead, bringing down quantity of roof. In this instance a slip was set in motion, the roof came down, and the defendant had his leg broken.
Joseph Travis, a colliery deputy, gave corroborative evidence, and was cross-examined at length by Mr. Raley, who gathered from the witness that Smith was signed on the collier for that stall. Further evidence included that of Mr. H.S.Pity, certified manager of the colliery, who denied that Smith was the collier in charge, and said in effect that when Goldspink was brought on a stretcher, suffering from a broken leg, into his office, he admitted that the prop had been knocked out.
In defence, Mr Riley said that the accident happened when the prop was being uncapped, according to regulations. The men were exercising their judgment as experienced colliers, and in that connection could not be said be wilfully endangering the safety of persons in the mine.
Goldspink said he was cutting the prop with pick when the prop sprang out, and the roof came down.
The Bench decided that there should be a conviction, and each defendant was ordered to pay 2s. 6d and the costs. 19s. 6d.