§ MR. THOMASSONasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether he intends to adopt the recommendation of Mr. Dickinson, Inspector of Mines for the Manchester District, in his Report for 1879, to supersede the twelve existing boards for the certificating of colliery managers by one representative board of examiners for the whole kingdom?
§ MR. ARTHUR PEELNo scheme has been laid before the Secretary of State, on the subject of the recommendation referred to, and the subject is one which requires much consideration. I may mention that it is by no means certain that the appointment of one Board and one set of examinations for the certificating of colliery managers would satisfy Section 27 of the Coal Mines Act, 1872, which appears to contemplate more than one. The existing system, too, has worked well, and brings the examinations to the neighbourhood of the candidates. The Secretary of State will, however, submit the question to the whole body of Mine Inspectors at their next meeting, and take their opinion on Mr. Dickinson's suggestion, and also as to whether any practical good would be done by constituting a more limited number of districts of more extended area than the 12 districts constituted in 1872.