Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 23 November 1912
Mexborough Miners
Joseph Greenwood, a miner of Mexborough was summoned in respect of 30/6, and said “I say nothing. I suppose I shall have to stand it.” He agreed to pay the amount at 5/– a week.
The order was made, the cost being 14/6.
Another Mexborough miner, named John Skelton, was summoned in respect to £1 4s 9d. He should have worked in number four stall, but, as he was going to work, was told it was “off.” The deputy, Arthur Bond, then told him to go to another stall, but he refused, and went out of the pit.
The deputy, Bond, said there was a fall in the “gate” that day, but he did not interfere with the defendant’s stall. He sent word to the defendant to that effect.
Mr Watson Smith said they were very short of men at Denaby just now, and there was plenty of work.
Defendant said no one stopped him as he went out of the pit. He never saw the deputy at all, and the reason he did not go to see if his stall was off or not was because a dataller coming down the road told him it was “off.”
The Chairman said the evidence was so contradictory that they would not be justified in making an order.
In another case George Wagstaffe, a miner, of Mexborough, was summoned in respect of £1 2s 6d. Asked to play, he said he thought it was too much.
Mr John Soar, the under manager, said he saw the defendant at the commencement of the shift on 22 October, and told him there was no room in his stall. They had told witness he had refused to go elsewhere and witness asked him the reason, to which he replied he was not going on the market.
The defendant now said he did not know he ought to have gone on the market. He had no money, so he could not pay anything.
Mr Watson Smith: Well, I will let him off at 1/– per week.
Defendant: Four shillings a month is a lot. I am paying 8/– a month at the County Court. This will be “uptcher.” (Laughter.)
The order was made, defendant also to pay the cost 16/6, £1 19s altogether.