[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—According to the full
quotation given by Mr. Gee from the 1926 Northern Mines Report some colliery companies could not look after their ponies on the surface, where they could be seen during the 1926 dispute, for " the animals were left out in the open during the early winter weather and without shelter, and suffered much from exposure to the cold."
When pit ponies have been on the surface for some time and turned out to grass, Mr. R. L. Layfield, H.M. Inspector of Horses in Mines, -writes that their bodily condition " has undergone considerable change during the term of idleness, and it is unwise to give a full ration of corn and to subject them to long spells of severe labour immediately they go down the mine. . . . It usually takes from eight to ten weeks, after a long period of rest, to recondition a pony sufficiently to enable him to withstand severe exertion without suffering unduly from bodily fatigue in the performance of his work." Yet, following the stoppage mentioned, and owing to the " alteration " of hours of work (which meant increase in the working hours, if the official report had used plain English) at certain collieries ponies were worked " for long hours without intervals for food and rest."
Nor is this all. Mr.- Gee says that I exaggerate when I said that " Thousands of pit ponies are worked continuously for sixteen hours on end persistently for -weeks." I did not say " all," but "thousands." Proof of this is given in the quotation from the Northern Report of 1926, which he himself suppliei ! The- next sentence in the report says : " My Staff reported that at some mines ponies worked from fourteen to sixteen hours on end for continuous shifts through- out the week." This is clear evidence that my statement
was no exaggeration. The report is very guarded and cautious in its wording,- but the words " the week " do not mean one single or specific week ; they mean a long and indefinite period covering many weeks.
Official action was taken to improve matters in these cases at the time. But as there is no legal limit to the working hours of pit ponies, and as inspections only take place, accord.: ing to the Minister of Mines, at most twice a year, this sort of practice can take place without being found out in any mine at any time.
JULIET GARDNER.
28 Draycott Place, Cadogan Square, S.W. 3.
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