§ MR. BELL (Derby)To ask the Secretary of Stale for the Home Department if his attention has been called to the arrest of a flagman on the Great Western Railway at Frome on the 5th February last on a charge of picking up coal from a passing train, with the result that the bridge undergoing repairs which he was protecting at the time was left unprotected for three hours; and whether, in the interests of the safety of the travelling public and the railwaymen, he will take steps to prevent repetitions of such occurrences.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Akers Douglas.) I called for a report from the chief constable of Somersetshire on this case and am informed by him that the arrest was effected after communication with the stationmaster, and it does not appear that the man was wanted at the 468 bridge at the time as no train was timed to pass there until seven hours later. No action on my part seems necessary.