Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Saturday 28 January 1928

Coal Trade Slackness.
Kilnhurst Pit to Work Only One Shift a Day.

The mining village Kilnhurst was considerably perturbed yesterday, when the men employed at the Kilnhurst Colliery received with their pay rolls a week’s notice terminating their employment.

The company employs about a thousand hands, and the notices will expire next Friday. It is not anticipated, however, that complete stoppage of the pit will longer than a few days, it is intended to restart work on a single shift basis instead of the double shift system which will cut down the present production about half. Interviewed last night, Mr. R. Barr, manager of the colliery, said the sole reason for the action was lack of trade. He thought that some 60 per rent, 70 per cent, of the men would find employment the pit under the new system, although absorption of labour would be gradual, and the full number they hoped engage could not taken immediately.

Mr. Barr, askcd if there was any truth in the rumours that the wage rate negotiations in connection with the Hague Moor scam had anything with the stoppage Friday next, answered the negative.

The mining village Kilnhurst was considerably perturbed yesterday, when the men employed at the Kilnhurst Colliery received with their pay rolls a week’s notice terminating their employment.

The company employs about a thousand hands, and the notices will expire next Friday. It is not anticipated, however, that complete stoppage of the pit will longer than a few days, it is intended to restart work on a single shift basis instead of the double shift system which will cut down the present production about half. Interviewed last night, Mr. R. Barr, manager of the colliery, said the sole reason for the action was lack of trade. He thought that some 60 per rent, 70 per cent, of the men would find employment the pit under the new system, although absorption of labour would be gradual, and the full number they hoped engage could not taken immediately.

Mr. Barr, askcd if there was any truth in the rumours that the wage rate negotiations in connection with the Hague Moor scam had anything with the stoppage Friday next, answered the negative.