Mr. TYSON WILSON (for Mr. Hodge)asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his attention has been called to a recent inquest conducted by the borough coroner of Oldham touching the death of a man named Thomas Boyle, who died at the Oldham infirmary as a result of scalds sustained whilst working in the Pearl Mill on 26th April last, such scalds being the result of leaving the taps of boilers in steam open whilst repairs were going on, and the remarks of the coroner thereupon to the effect that the tap should have been closed, and had it been so the accident would have been avoided; have accidents of a similar character been reported; if so, will he issue a new regulation making it compulsory to disconnect boilers in steam from others while repairs are going on?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELYes, Sir, the Secretary of State has received a Report of the proceedings at the inquest. The -cause of the accident was the omission by the person preparing the boiler for the repairers to take a known and necessary precaution. The number of similar accidents in the past is not known, but there is no reason to believe that there have been many such. The Secretary of State understands that none has occurred in the Old- 1372 ham district during the last ten years. The Secretary of State has caused the point to be noted for consideration, with others that are engaging the attention of the Department at the present time in connection with the use of boilers.