§ MR. KEIR HARDIEI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the circumstances attending the death of Andrew Welsh, lately employed at the works of the Electric Storage Company, West Ferry Road Millwall, who died of lead poisoning, when a doctor in the pay of the firm certified the cause of death to have been something other than lead poisoning, and failed to forward a certificate to the coroner, and whether he is aware that the manager sought to intimidate workmen from giving evidence before the coroner; and whether he will state what action he is taking to punish the principal actors in the case.
§ The following question also appeared on the Paper:—
§ MR. JOHN CAMPBELLTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to the case of the death of Andrew Welsh, a workman employed at the Electric Storage Company's works, Millwall; and whether, in view of the circumstances attaching to the post mortem by Dr. Wilson, and to the difference between his certification that death was due to a malignant growth, and the finding of the jury that deceased died from lead poisoning, he will cause further inquiries to be made into this particular case, and also into the alleged neglect at the aforementioned works of proper precautions to guard against lead poisoning of the operatives.
§ *THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. RITCHIE, Croydon)If the hon. Member for South Armagh will permit me I will answer his question on the same subject at the same time. I have received a full report on this case from the Medical Inspector of Factories, who advises me that though the deceased workman was to some extent affected by lead poisoning there is no reason to doubt the medical evidence given at the inquest to the effect that the acute illness which caused his death was due to other causes. It might, perhaps, have been better if Dr. Wilson, who made the post mortem examination, and gave the certificate of death, had communicated with the coroner, but there is no ground for questioning his good faith in the matter, and it is now impossible to make further inquiry into the cause of death I have no power to deal with the alleged intimidation of the workpeople; but I may say that if it was attempted it was singularly unsuccessful. I find that some of the special rules have not been properly carried out in the works, and steps are being taken to prosecute the firm and secure better conditions for the workpeople.
§ MR. TENNANT (Berwickshire)Arising out of the answer, may I ask if the right hon. Gentleman has observed the clause in a Bill introduced in this House giving medical officers power to report such cases to the coroner?
§ *MR. RITCHIENo, Sir, I have not observed that clause. It requires no legislation to authorise such communications with the coroner.