§ MR. JOHN WARDI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to the case of Patrick Long, who was killed by accident on the New King's Dock, Swansea, on Saturday, 7th March; whether this was the third fatal accident on these works within seven days: whether his Department was represented at the inquest; if so, under what Act or Order was the Department authorised to interfere in these cases; and whether the Notice of Accident Act of 1894, which places accidents occurring on docks in course of construction under the jurisdiction of the Board of Trade, has been repealed.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. GLADSTONE,) Leeds, W.I have made inquiry as to the case mentioned in the Question. Notice of the accident was sent by the contractors to the factory inspector, and the inspector attended the inquest. The only accidents in connection with the construction of a dock which are reportable to the factory inspector are those which fall under Section 105 of the Act relating to the construction of buildings, and it is not clear from the inspector's report whether the case came strictly within that section; but I understand that the contractors have reported all accidents on these works to the Factory Department. The application of the Notices of Accidents Act of 1894 to docks was repealed by the Factory Act of 1895. I understand that another fatal accident, causing three deaths, occurred on the same works five days before.
§ MR. JOHN WARDWhat section of the Factory Act repeals the Notice of Accidents Acts?
§ MR. GLADSTONEThe state of the law with regard to the construction of docks is undoubtedly very uncertain, and 1081 I propose to deal with the matter in a small Bill this session.