SIR THOMAS DEWAE (Tower Hamlets, St. George's)To ask the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been called to accidents reported by the Metropolitan Police as being due to explosions caused through gas escaping into telegraph inspection chambers and coming into contact with leakage in an electric wire; and will he state what compensation has been paid for any personal injuries which such accidents may have caused, and what action has been taken to prevent their recurrence.
(Answered by Lord, Stanley.) My attention has been called to this matter frequently, but as I told the hon. Member, in reply to his Question of last session,†I have not seen any reason to suppose that explosions have been due to leakage in a telegraph or telephone wire. No compensation has been paid by the Post Office, which has not been in any way in fault. The engineers of the Post Office are considering whether there is anything the Department can do to diminish the danger arising from the escape of gas.