§ SIR EDWARD REEDasked the President of the Board of Trade, Whether the various Railway Companies have replied to the Board of Trade Circular of February last on the loss of life and personal injury sustained by Railway servants during the coupling and uncoupling of vehicles; whether any of the Companies have intimated their intention of adopting improved couplings, with the object of diminishing the risks of their servants; and, whether the Board will at an early date publish the Circular and such replies as have been sent in?
§ MR. CHAMBERLAINSir, the Circular to the Railway Companies, which the Board of Trade issued in February last, in order to draw attention to the loss of life and personal injury sustained by railway servants in coupling and uncoupling vehicles, has elicited only two or three replies from the Railway Companies. The Great Northern Railway Company report that they have had several plans before them, and had consulted their men on the subject, but that nothing possessing the 2044 needful simplicity and handiness has yet been designed. Two other Companies report that a stick is to some extent used in uncoupling wagons to trip the coupling chain off, but that it is little use for coupling, as that operation is performed when the trucks are at rest, and little risk is incurred by the men. I do not think that, under the circumstances, any good would arise from publishing the Papers.