§ MR. SNOWDEN (Blackburn)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his attention has been called to the case of Henry Jenkinson, a colliery engineman, who was fined £1 and costs at the Rotherham police court, on the 17th February, for being asleep at his post, in contravention of Special Rule 63, and to the statement of Jenkinson that he had been twenty-eight hours on duty; and whether he will cause inquiry to be made into the accuracy of this statement, and, if it be found to be correct, will he take steps, by legislation or otherwise, to prevent enginemen being worked such long hours without relief.
§ MR. GLADSTONEI have made inquiry, and I find that the statement as to Jenkinson's employment is incorrect. He had been employed for nine or ten hours in the morning, then had a rest of six hours, and the offence took place an hour or two after he came back to special duty at 9.45 p.m. He has now admitted that his statement was false, and has apologised. Jenkinson was an underground worker, working a haulage, not a winding, engine, and the Eight Hours Bill, which I have introduced, would apply to him. Quite apart from this case my attention has been drawn to the long hours worked in many cases by colliery enginemen, and I have specially referred the matter to the Royal Commission.