§ MR. CHANNING (Northampton, E.)asked the President of the Board of Trade, Whether his attention had been called to the very serious loss of life among platelayers and other permanent waymen the last year, and especially during the winter months; whether his attention had been called to the evidence at the recent inquest on two platelayers killed near Syston Station on the Midland Railway; and, whether, having regard to the increased danger to these men in foggy and stormy weather, the Board of Trade will make representations to the Railway Companies both as to stricter observance of their existing Regulations for the protection of platelayers in their work, and as to the desirability of employing additional men or boys to watch for the approach of trains, and of giving some practical trial to automatic fog signals and other mechanical appliances for warning the men?
§ THE PRESIDENT (Sir MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH) (Bristol, W.)in reply, said, that during the last eight years official Returns showed each year a material and steady decrease in the number of fatal accidents to platelayers and other permanent waymen. The decrease was considerable in the first two months of the current year.