§ MR. D. THOMAS () Merthyr TydvilOn behalf of the right hon. Baronet the Member for East Denbighshire, I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the recent death by drowning in the River Ffrwd (which divides the Counties of Denbigh and Flint) of two little girls aged six years or thereabouts when returning from school; whether such accident was due to the dangerous and unprotected state of the bridge over this river which is a public thoroughfare; whether application has been made to the Wrexham Highway Board and the Hawarden Highway Board (in whose districts the bridge is situate) to repair and protect such bridge; whether these bodies have declined to do so on the ground that they are not responsible for its condition; and whose duty is it to place the bridge into a state in which it will no longer be dangerous to life?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. SHAW-LEFEVRE,) Bradford, CentralI have made inquiry, and I am informed that the structure in question can hardly be designated a bridge. It consists of two joints of timber about six feet long, with slabs forming a footway of about 18 inches in width, and that it has no hand-rail upon it. The structure in question, it is stated, was erected by the owner of some cottages adjoining the river for the convenience of his tenants, and has not been recognised as a public bridge. One end of the structure is in the Wrexham Highway District, and the other in the Hope and Hawarden District. I am informed that the Wrexham Highway Board took prompt steps, as soon as the dangerous place was brought to their notice, with the intention of doing whatever lay in their power to remedy it, and that they have no doubt that they will have the co-operation of the Hope and Hawarden District Board in the matter.