§ MR. MADDISON (Sheffield, Brightside)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade, if he is aware that Lieutenant Colonel H. A. Yorke, in his report on the accident which occurred on 17th January, 1899, at Congleton, on the North Staffordshire Railway, states that the accident was attributable to conditions in all respects similar to those which existed at the time of the derailment at New castle-under-Lyme on 15th July, 1897; and, whether, in the absence of the necessary powers to enforce his Inspector's recommendations, he will call the attention of the North Staffordshire Railway Company to their neglect of precautious pointed out to them 18 months ago?
TUB PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADEThe North Staffordshire Company informed the Board of Trade that they had complied with the Inspecting Officer's requirements at Newcastle-under-Lyme, as far back as August, 1897, and the Department has no reason to suppose that the necessary work was not completed. The Board will press the Company to do the same at Congleton.
§ MR. MADDISONAm I to take it that although the same conditions were known to exist at Congleton as at Newcastle-under-Lyme, no attempt was made to apply a remedy for 18 mouths?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADEI cannot say exactly, but I 638 think the honourable Gentleman is justified in drawing the inference.