MINING WAYLEAVES, ROYALTIES, AND LICENCES. [To THE EDITOR OF THE
" SPECTATOR."] SIR,—May I ask for your powerful aid in exposing an erroneous idea which seems to have got a very firm hold, and which is probably responsible for a large proportion of the unrest amongst the miners ? I refer to• the idea that wayleaves, royalties, licences, &c., are paid for by the miners. To show that this idea is held I need only refer bo words which Mr. Hodges quoted at the recent Coal Commission from a speech delivered by Mr. Lloyd George at Swansea in June, 1912: Referring to wayleaves, royalties, licences, &c., in the mining areas which he termed " the black retinue of exaction." Mr. Lloyd George described them as "paid by men who risk their lives for it, paid by men who spend their days in dust and darkness, to win it. There is not a single day of their lives that they do not give two hours—two hours stolen from the sunshine—two hours of additional jeopardy to life to pay the exaction." As far as I know, this was accepted without protest at the Coal Commission, and apparently Mr. Lloyd George still holds similar views, for in his speech in the House of Commons on August 18th last he said: "If mining royalties continue, we feel that they ought to contribute toward the well-being of those who work, of all those who risk their lives to earn the royalties." Strange to say, this appears to have been accepted in the House without protest. But surely it is clear that this whole line of thought is mistaken. Wayleaves, royalties, licences, &c., are neither earned by nor paid for by the miners, and they most certainly do not have to risk their lives for them. They are paid for by the purchasers of the coal, and it is only to the extent that miners are purchasers that they can possibly be said to pay for them. The whole labour and risk are necessitated because the coal is required, and if all wayleavea, royalties, licences, &c., were wiped out at one stroke the miners would stand in exactly the same position as at present with regard to labour, risk, and wages. In reality the whole question is of little or no concern to the miners, and it is to their true interest to realize this.—I am, Sir, &c., Heniker Lane House, Sutton Valence. C. H. Boswzu..
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