§ Mr. MARKHAMasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, seeing that in the Second Report of the Royal Commission on Mines, recently presented to this House [Cd. 4820], the Commissioners, on page 84, report that the Government declined to contribute towards the cost of certain experiments which the Commissioners considered were urgently required for the safety of miners, he will, in view of his declaration on 19th September that no such request had been received by him from the Commission, communicate with the Commissioners for an explanation of this paragraph in their Report; and whether any representation was made by the Commission for this grant of public money to any permanent official at the Treasury or to the Financial Secretary to the Treasury?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEThe section of the Report of the Royal Commission to which my hon. Friend refers does not deal with the use of electricity in mines, which formed the subject of his previous question, but relates solely to coal-dust explosions, with especial reference to the value of wet or dustless "zones" in stopping or reducing the effects of dust explosions. If my hon. Friend will refer again to the passage which he cites he will find that the Royal Commission put forward no request for a grant in aid of experiments in connection with the use of electricity. As regards the last part of the question, the Royal Commission applied through the Home Office for a Government grant towards the cost of the proposed experiments with coal-dust, but the Government did not feel justified in acceding to their request.
§ Mr. MARKHAMThis question does not refer to electrical experiments, I used the word in a former question. The question referred to experiments which have to be conducted by electricity.
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEI told him that no applications had been made to the Chancellor of the Exchequer.