§ MR. BURT (Morpeth)asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, If he can say whether it is true, as alleged, that, on the night of the 12th June, a shift of day-wage men entered the Park Mine of the Tawd Vale Colliery, Skelmersdale, without a report of the condition of the mine required by law having been made; and, whether workmen other than those engaged in the firing of shots were allowed in that part of the mine during the time such shots were being fired?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. MATTHEWS) (Birmingham, E.)I am informed by the Inspector that 28 day workmen did go down at 9.30 p.m. on Sunday evening, June 12, to repair the roads in the mine referred to, although the last formal inspection had been made at 11 a.m. on the same day. As this case may come before a Court of Justice, it is better that I should refrain from expressing an opinion whether there has been an infringement of the law; but, if applied to, I shall be willing to give my sanction for proceedings to be instituted against the manager. So far as I can ascertain, there were no shots fired on the night of June 12.