§ SIR THOMAS DEWARTo ask the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that, during the two years ending the 30th June last, the Metropolitan Police reported twenty-one explosions resulting in injury to eleven persons, and the death of two horses caused through leakage in an electric wire coming into contact with escaped gas; will he state how many of these explosions occurred in the streets of the Metropolis in connection with telegraph and telephone plant; and to what extent the persons injured have been compensated.
(Answered by Lord Stanley.) I have seen the reply of my right hon. friend the Home Secretary of the 28th ultimo, †giving the number of accidents mentioned by the hon. Member, but I am quite unable to admit that any of them could have been caused by the leakage of electricity from telegraph or telephone wires. There have been several explosions of gas in the street boxes belonging to the Post Office, but in none of these has it appeared that the Department was liable to pay compensation. I may add that some of the recent cases are under investigation, with a view to ascertain the true cause of the explosions.