§ MR. J. WARDI beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to an accident at the new waterworks, Scathwaite Tarn, near Barrow, on May 21st from an explosion, killing two workmen and seriously injuring three others; whether his Department were officially represented at the inquest; and, if so, what Report, if any, has been received upon the subject; and whether, in view of the frequency of these explosions upon public works and the injury caused by them, he will consider the advisability of framing legislation to regulate the use of explosives upon such works.
§ MR. GLADSTONEI beg to answer this question on behalf of my right hon. friend. The accident referred to was reported to the Inspector of Mines and the inquest was attended by the assistant inspector. I have received a Report from H.M. Inspector of Explosives from which it appears that the explosion was caused by boring into an unexplored 368 portion of a previous charge, a not uncommon cause of accident, attributable, I am sorry to say, in many cases to personal carelessness. The use of explosives in mines and quarries is already regulated. The question of extending protective provisions to railway workings and other unregulated places shall receive my consideration.