§ Mr. DAVID RANDELL (Glamorgan, Gower)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whe- 504 ther he is aware that on the 10th February last a workman named Jordan fell down the pumping shaft at Gwern Colliery, Llansamlet, and that his body has not been recovered; what attempts, if any, have been made to recover the body; and what further steps are proposed to be taken in the matter?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Sir MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEY,) Lancashire, BlackpoolI have received a report from the Inspector of the District with regard to this accident. Efforts, he informs me, were made by grappling on the day of the accident and the three following days to recover the body. Subsequently, descents were made daily up till last Friday, to the surface of the water, and on one occasion a charge of dynamite was exploded in an adjoining shaft connected with the pumping shaft, in the hope of causing the body to rise. Descents will continue to be made for a few more weeks, but beyond this nothing, I am afraid, can be done.