§ MR. HAZEL (West Bromwich)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the-Home Department whether, when a fire broke out recently in the Hamstead. Colliery, South Staffordshire, entombing, more than twenty men, no properly equipped rescue-party could be found, nearer than Yorkshire; whether the only fully equipped colliery rescue-parties in England pre at Barnsley and Norman ton, in Yorkshire; and whether, in view of the importance of beginning rescue operations at the earliest possible moment, when a colliery disaster has occurred, he can take any steps to require or encourage the provision of the latest and best form of rescue-apparatus within easy reach of all important mining districts.
§ MR. BYLES (Salford. N.)Before the Question is answered, may I ask whether the local miners have not shown, extraordinary courage and readiness ingoing to the help of their imprisoned fellow-workmen?
§ MR. GLADSTONEOh, yes, most certainly. As regards the Question on the Paper I have to say that the two places mentioned in the Question are the only ones at present possessing stations at which breathing apparatus are provided and men are regularly trained in their use. The Royal Commission on mines considered this subject at an early stage of their inquiry, and issued an interim report upon it last year. In view of the risks attending the use of such apparatus, risks only too clearly demonstrated at Courrieres and at Hamstead, and the difference of opinion as the best appliance, they did not feel justified in recommending that its provision should be made compulsory at the present time; but they made certain proposals for the establishment of central rescue stations. I have been in correspondence with the Mining Association of Great Britain or the subject, with the result that steps are being taken towards the formation of other stations, and one station recently completed in Lancashire will shortly be available for use. What is much needed is further improvement in the construction of rescue apparatus, and I hope the establishment of these 1309 stations will give a stimulus to such improvements as well as to the further organisation of rescue work.
§ MR. W. E. HARVEY (Derbyshire, N. E.)Can the right hon. Gentleman give the House any information as to what is going on at the mine?
§ MR. GLADSTONEI have given instructions to the Inspector of Mines to let me know if he has any information with regard to the men, but I regret to say I have received no information up to the present.
§ MR. BRACE (Glamorgan, S.)Is it the intention of the Government to assist financially in the establishment of these rescue stations?
§ * MR. GLADSTONEWe are doing all we can to promote the establishment of these rescue stations. With regard to the appliance itself, experiments will soon be made on a large and effective scale to test the various forms of apparatus at present under our notice. I should be prepared to consider the giving of financial assistance if I was assured that the present position of the question is sufficiently advanced to make such assistance of real practical service. At present our knowledge on the subject is imperfect, and we do not know what appliance to recommend. In two cases —at Courrières and Hamstead—the use of two different appliances has been accompanied by loss of life. It is too soon to consider the question of a Treasury grant.
§ MR. BRACEThe House will perhaps forgive me if I press this matter urgently, but I want the right hon. Gentleman to try and realise the point I am endeavouring to make. In the effort to provide the necessary appliances in the respective districts, will the Government give financial assistance to those experimenting, because if it is left to voluntary effort alone that will rather defeat the object of the right hon. Gentleman?
§ MR. GLADSTONEWe are giving very assistance we can to promote indention, and I would remind the hon. Member that this particular question is 1310 still under the consideration of experts, representing both masters and men, on the Royal Commission. We are anxious to do anything practical on the subject, but I can add nothing to what I have said.