§ MR. PAULTON (Durham, Bishop Auckland)asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether the recent Circular of the Mines Inspectors, issued by direction of the Home Office, contains any mention by name of the safety lamps specially recommended by the Royal Commissioners as being the most safe and efficient; whether he has instructed the Inspectors to take active steps to prohibit the use of such lamps as do not fulfil the conditions of safety laid down by the Commissioners in their Report; and, whether the Government will carry out the suggestion of the Royal Commissioners that the Government should maintain an apparatus, and should appoint some person to test and report to the Secretary of State on any lamps which may be submitted to him?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. MATTHEWS) (Birmingham, E.)The recent Circular of the Mines Inspectors does not mention any lamp by name; but it calls attention to that portion of the Royal Commissioners' Report which deals with the relative advantages and disadvantages of various kinds of safety lamps. The Inspectors have been instructed in cases where, in their opinion, the lamp at present in use is a source of danger to make a requisition under the Act of 1872 for the discontinuance of such lamp, and the adoption of a safer kind. The Inspectors 1111 do not consider the establishment of a permanent official arrangement for testing lamps to be necessary; but the suggestion is one which will have my consideration.