150 The Coal Fami?ie. [April, 



But it is also a matter which the employers should look 

 after; and we venture to think that with the inducements 

 offered by a substantial house, with good accommodation 

 for a family, habits of temperance and forethought would be 

 nourished. In some cases suitable residences have been 

 provided, and with good results ; and I now have before my 

 mind, in a central county of England, the recollection of a 

 substantial row of collier's houses, each with a little garden 

 in front, and with four — or at least three — rooms for the 

 tenant ; and not only have they been let to the colliers 

 at fair rentals, but the manager of the works takes good 

 care that they are properly used, and kept in order by the 

 inmates. 



Much remains to be done to improve the condition of the 

 working miner ; but while he remains often in a state un- 

 worthy of a Christian community, can it be wondered at 

 that he should be a ready instrument in the hands of 

 designing men, and surrender the right of private judgment 

 and individual action to self-appointed leaders as ignorant 

 as himself, and far more selfish ? 



One of the main causes of the present short supply of 

 coal is the refusal of the miners to work full time. Their 

 fathers were accustomed to work five, or even six, days in 

 the week, but the present generation is content with four or 

 four and a half. In consequence of this the mines are un- 

 occupied during two and a half or three days in the week, 

 less coal is raised, the price is advanced — owing both to the 

 short supply and because the proprietor has to recoup him- 

 self for the absence of return on his capital during the idle 

 days. 



The absence of a desire to accumulate money, the reverse 

 of which may be regarded as in some measure an evidence 

 of civilisation, so general amongst other classes, is a 

 peculiar feature in the case of the miner. Most of us 

 are willing to do extra work in order to add a few 

 pounds a year to our incomes ; but with the pitmen of 

 parts of Lancashire, Staffordshire, and Scotland, the case is 

 otherwise. The old motto, " A fair day's wage for a fair 

 day's work," has given place to a new one, " The least 

 amount of work for the largest amount of pay." Unfortu- 

 nately the time left at the miner's disposal, owing to the 

 short system, is not generally turned to any very high pur- 

 pose ; so that the high wages and short time is of little 

 benefit to the miner himself, and is most injurious to the 

 community at large. 



Until, however, the miners can be induced to work during 



