Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 6 December 1913
Under-Manager Summoned
Cadeby Colliery Prosecution
An unusual colliery prosecution was one in which George Cook, under-manager at the Cadeby pit, was summoned by the Denaby and Cadeby Colliery Co., for a breach of the Mines’ Act.
Mr. W. M. Gichard, solicitor, of Rotherham, prosecuted, and, in stating the case, said that the defendant was charged with contravening No. 41 of the general regulations of the Coal Mines Act of 1911, in allowing an unqualified person and a man without a certificate to practise as a deputy.
The district was a difficult one to deal with, and it had been the practice to have three men to act instead of one—a deputy and two under deputies, the under deputies each having the supervision of the whole. There was trouble in the district with a “gob” fire.
It was a serious fire which required immediate attention and supervision, and defendant, as under-manager, was to an extent responsible, and it was his duty to do the best he could do to deal with the fire in the most effective manner.
He, in the exercise of his discretion, sent one of the men, who was a deputy in part of the district, to superintend the fire and stay there, as he considered that was the most important part of the district was left without a qualified man.
Defendant pleaded guilty to a technical offence.
The Chairman said that under the circumstances there would be no conviction, but defendant would have to pay the costs, 7/-.
In another case, the Colliery Company summoned George Williamson, electrician, Mexboro’, for a breach of the Mines Act at the Denaby Pit on November 19th.
Mr. Gichard said the defendant was charged with a breach of general regulation No. 127, and the offence consisted of neglecting to see that two lamp holders on a live circuit were not so protected as to prevent open sparking.
Having pleaded guilty, defendant was fined 5/- and costs.