* * * * Pit-Head Baths Since the Miners' Welfare
Fund was created in 1920, it has already, up to the end of last year, received nearly £16,000,000 from the levy on every ton of coal raised, and on mining royalties. Until recently it might have seemed that this experiment in social welfare, however laudable, was not likely to be extremely successful for the Committee concentrated mainly on two things— the provision of pit-head baths and recreation schemes. And the miners, however much they might welcome play- grounds for their children, were conservative enough to look upon baths, except in their own homes, with suspicion. The report which has just been issued for 1936, however, shows that the Committee were right, and that their foresight has been well rewarded. The tide has turned now, and pit-head baths, with facilities for the miner to change his working clothes and have them dried, are proving most popular both with the miners and their wives. Already £4,398,002 has been spent in providing 198 baths, which will cater for just over a quarter of a million men. As far as it goes this is excellent, but our mining population is about three-quarters of a million, and at the present rate of progress it will take over seven years to get all miners clean. Now that the colliery industry is out of the trough, and the welfare scheme has proved its practical value, there is a strong case for a restoration of the full levy, which was cut from rd. to ?id. in 1934.
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