§ MR. JOHN WILSON (Durham, Mid.)To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to an accident which happened at New Shildon Colliery, Durham, on the 17th instant, by which a shaftsman lost his life; whether he is aware that the coroner's jury asked the coroner to intimate to the employers that they did not consider the engineman a competent person; and whether he will take into consideration the advisability of arranging for persons in charge of engines and boilers to pass an examination, and obtain certificates of competency before they are allowed to fill such positions.
(Answer.) I have received from the inspector a report of this accident, and I find that, as stated in the Question, the coroner's jury expressed an opinion that the engineman was not competent. On the last part of the Question I must refer the hon. Member to the Report of the Select Committee of this House, which sat last session, on the Steam Engines and Boilers (Persons in Charge) Bill. That Committee, after full inquiry, came to the conclusion, for various considerations (including the fact that accidents due to the carelessness or incompetence of persons in charge of engines and boilers are few), that the legislation which would be required to carry out the hon. Member's suggestion was unnecessary.—(Home Office.)