§ MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN (Kilkenny)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that three passengers on an electric tramcar in Dublin, on Sunday last, were injured by the breaking of the electric wires, which was caused by a passenger pulling the trolly rope in mistake for the bell rope to stop the car; whether he is aware that Mr. Mahoney, the magistrate before whom a police charge was brought arising out of the accident, censured the tramway company for exposing the public using the trams to the danger of pulling the trolly rope by mistake for a bell rope, and also censured the Board of Trade for having sanctioned such a dangerous arrangement; and whether he will cause a departmental inquiry into this matter, and see that the trolly rope is so protected that it cannot be interfered with except by the officer in charge of the car, and that proper arrangements for stopping the cars are placed on the top as well as within them.
MR. LONG (for Mr. RITCHIE)The Board of Trade have entered into communication with the company with reference to this matter. When their reply is received I will decide whether an expert inquiry will be useful. In the meantime I can express no opinion on the subject.