IS DIRT OUTPUT?

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXVIII, Issue 4632, 6 December 1934, Page 7

IS DIRT OUTPUT?

Mr. Justice Crossman was asked in the Chancery Division recently to decide whether the word "output" in the Coal Mines Act, 1930, and the Midland (Amalgamated) District (Coal Mines) Scheme, 1930, includes all dirt raised and wieighed with coal at the pithead. The question arose ©n a case stated in arbitration proceedings between Robert Holliday and Sons, Limited, of East Ardsley Collieries, and the Executive Board and Quota Committee under the Midland scheme. The company claimed to be entitled, under the definition of "output," to raise its monthly permitted outputs under the scheme in coal only, excluding all dirt raised and weighed with the coal at the pithead. The Executive Board refused to allow this, and contended that the material raised as first, weighed, before the removal of the dirt, was "coal" within the definition of "output"' Mr Justice Crossman said he was of the opinion that the expression "tonnage in coal" meant tonnage in coal as it came out of the pit in tubs—before any dirt was picked, screened, washed or otherwise taken out of the coal. He therefore decided the question in favour of the Executive Board who, it was stated, regarded the matter as of considerable importance in the administration of the Midland scheme, and were willing to pay the taxed costs of the case.