HC Deb 26 March 1896 vol 39 cc180-1
MR. A. J. MUNDELLA (Sheffield, Brightside)

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade, whether his attention has been called to four fatal accidents to railway servants which have recently occurred at Nine Elms goods station; and, whether he will institute an Inquiry into the causes of these accidents, and as to how far they are due to excessive hours of working and the insufficiency of space and lighting in the sheds?

THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. C. T. RITCHIE,) Croydon

I assume that the right hon. Gentleman refers to the accidents to men named Pitcher, Taylor, Middleditch and Few respectively. Inquests have been held in each case, and I deprecate as a rule the duplication of inquiries. Where, however, serious accidents follow each other closely at a particular place there is a primâ facie case for investigation and I will therefore order an Inquiry.