§ MR. T. DUNCOMBEbegged to call the attention of the right hon. Baronet (Sir G. Grey) to a matter requiring his prompt interference. An express had arrived this afternoon, announcing a calamitous explosion in the Curteis Colliery, two miles from Wigan. It took place on Tuesday afternoon, and not—as had been represented yesterday, when it was said to be always the fault of the men—in consequence of any want of care on the part of the miners. In fact, they had represented for some days that the pit was unsafe; and on the very day of the explosion they had required one of the managers to go up and state that the pit was not safe. he refused; and a few hours afterwards the calamity happened. Seven or eight men had been brought up, two of whom died immediately; and of nearly all the rest the lives were despaired. The worst part of the case was, that six men were known to have been left in the pit, and a representation had been made to the proprietor of the pit to let persons go down if possible to rescue their lives: the proprietor positively refused, but sent down a couple of his own men, who made a sort of mysterious visit, hut gave no information. Two men well known for their skill and experience, named Bellot and Price, volunteered to descend, in the hope of saving their fellow creatures; but the coalowner positively refused to allow them? What was the fair 1091 inference? That he was afraid these men would give honest testimony before the coroner. It would be premature to anticipate what the verdict might be; but the excitement in Wigan and its neighbourhood in consequence of the suspense regarding the lives of the six missing, perhaps dead or starving, men could easily be understood. Their bodies were still in the pit, and it was imperatively necessary that steps should be immediately taken; he hoped, therefore, that the right hon. Secretary for the Home Department would send down commissioners to make instant inquiries, especially regarding the case of the six men who at this moment might be enduring a lingering death.
§ SIR G. GREYwas not acquainted with any of the facts of the case, and if any short statement of it had been published, it had not come to his knowledge, at least officially. As death had unhappily occurred, an inquiry must necessarily take place before the coroner's jury; and he hoped that the conduct of the coalowner would turn out to have been not what it had been represented. Pending the investigation, it would be improper to express any opinion; but on two former occasions since he had been in office, persons of practical experience had been sent down to watch the proceedings on the inquest. He would inquire into the circumstances; and if they justified a similar course, he should not hesitate to follow it, in order to ascertain the real cause of the calamity.
§ MR. T. DUNCOMBEadded, that it was not to be tolerated that six bodies should remain in the pit, while it was doubtful whether the men might not be living and might not be saved. The proprietor seemed to fear the evidence that would be given, which made it the more necessary thoroughly to investigate the matter. If an accident had happened on a railway by which life had been lost, commissioners would have been sent down the very same night.
§ SIR G. GREYobserved, that such investigations ought not necessarily to devolve upon Government: the magistrates and local authorities ought not to be exempted from the duty. To them inquiry belonged in the first instance, although Government would take care to do what was necessary.