§ MR. THOMAS BLAKEasked the Secretary to the Treasury, If his attention has been called to the accidents, many of which are fatal, which so frequently occur to persons resident in Her Majesty's Forest of Dean, arising from numerous unfenced stone quarries; whether he has received a copy of an official report of M. F. Carter, esquire, the coroner of the Forest of Dean Division of Gloucestershire, stating that he has, between the 2nd of August 1873 and the 26th of February 1886, held nine inquests upon the bodies of persons who have fallen into unfenced quarries in Her Majesty's Forest of Dean; and, if, with a view to prevent further loss of life, he will, on behalf of the Govern- 1899 ment, bring in or support a Bill rendering it compulsory upon the owners of quarries properly to fence or protect the same?
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY(Mr. HENRY H. FOWLER)I have received no copy of an official Report by Mr. M. F. Carter, Coroner, as to inquests held on bodies of persons who had fallen into unfenced quarries in Dean Forest. As regards what are called the "award" quarries—namely, those still held under the award of the Commissioners of Woods, made in pursuance of the Act 1 & 2 Vict., c. 48, the Crown is powerless, as the Commissioners omitted in their rules and regulations for working quarries to require them to be fenced. Quarries held under lease from the Commissioners are required to be fenced. There are at present 122 award quarries and 130 leased quarries. It might be well to place all quarries under the Inspectors of Mines.