§ MR. WEIR (Ross and Cromarty)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that, on the 20th instant, a young woman named Alice Maughan, residing at Felling, was found lying dead across the electrified rail on the North Eastern Railway Company's line near Backworth, Northumberland; and will he call for a report on the subject, and state whether the electrified rails on this line were passed by the Board of Trade inspector as sufficiently protected.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. GERALD BALFOUR, Leeds, Central)Yes, Sir. This accident was notified to the Board of Trade by the railway company, and the Board have appointed one of their inspecting officers to inquire into and report upon the circumstances. The arrangements for working this line by electricity have not been "passed" by the Board of Trade, the railway company having adopted the new method of traction on their own responsibility and without obtaining specific statutory powers involving preliminary inspection on behalf of the Board. The precautions adopted for the protection of the company's servants 16 and the public have, however, come under the observation of the Board's officers when holding inquiries into previous similar accidents on this "electrified" line, and the company have informed the Board that they have complied with the recommendations made in the officers' reports on those accidents. I shall be happy to supply the hon. Member with a copy of the report.