SIR WALTER FOSTER (Derbyshire, Ilkeston)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has considered the report on the methods of preventing falls of roof adopted at the Courrieres collieries, in which it is shown that the death rate from falls of roof and sides per 1,000 persons employed below ground for the ten years 1890 to 1899 is only 0½15, and the death rate per million tons of coal raised is only 0.39, while for the United Kingdom the average death rates are 0.78 per 1,000 persons employed below ground and 2.05 per million tons of mineral raised for the five years ending 1899; and whether he has taken or will take steps to bring about in the collieries of this country the adoption of methods of preventing falls of roof and sides similar to those which have produced such results at the Courrieres collieries.
§ * MR. RITCHIEAs long ago as September last the Home Office communicated with all the coal-mine owners in this country with regard to the methods of preventing, falls of ground adopted at the Courrières collieries and called their attention to the figures quoted in the hon. Member's question. On receiving the further special report to which he refers, I sent a second circular letter to the owners, enclosing a copy and pressing upon them the importance of studying 62 the methods adopted in France. The Homo Office has long been in communication with the Mining Association with a view to steps being taken to reduce the number of accidents from falls of ground, and I have arranged for a conference next month between the inspectors of mines and the representatives of the association on the subject.
§ MR. CAINE (Cornwall, Camborne)Is this system applicable to mines generally?
§ * MR. RITCHIEI think only to coal mines.