§ MR. CHANNING (Northampton, E.)asked the President of the Board of Trade, Whether his attention has been called to the statement of Colonel Rich, one of the Inspectors of the Board, after an inquiry held in July, 1887, as to a fatal accident to a boy named Reeves while working at the fish stage at New Milford Station, that the railway and station yard were most dangerous, and had been so for many years, and to the recommendation—
That the Company be required to fence their property at once, and the Company should be urged to build a foot-bridge across their railway for the safety of their own servants and of the numerous labourers that are employed;whether about 600 men and boys are employed in and about the fish traffic and similar duties at New Milford Station; whether the Board of Trade has made any subsequent representations to the Railway Company; whether the Railway Company have as yet done anything to carry out Colonel Rich's recommendations; and, whether he will include cases of this nature of defective traffic accommodation among the matters for which he will ask for extended powers for the Board of Trade in the Bill recently foreshadowed?
§ THE PRESIDENT (Sir MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH) (Bristol, W.)Yes, Sir; Colonel Rich's Report on the accident in question has been before me, and the circumstances are practically as stated in the Question. A copy of the Report was sent to the Railway Company; but the Board of Trade have no power to compel the erection of a bridge. Negotia- 529 tions, however, are pending, which the Board of Trade hope will result in the erection of a bridge; but I may add that had a bridge been in existence at the time the accident would not have been prevented. The case seems to be one of those as to which I indicated that, in my opinion, further legislation would be possible.