§ Mr. GEORGE THORNEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention had been drawn to the fact that for several months past all the trains on the London and North-Western Railway between Wolverhampton and Birmingham had been stopped or slowed down at a spot outside Oldbury station; whether he had any official information showing that such result was due to the working of collieries underneath or adjacent to the line; whether persons travelling over the line were, in consequence, exposed to danger; and, if so, what action he proposed to take in the matter?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI have been in communication with the railway company on this subject, and they have informed me that a subsidence has taken place near Oldbury owing to mining operations, but that the section of railway affected is under constant supervision, and that all necessary precautions to avoid the possibility of an accident have been taken. The company add that they are satisfied that there is not the slightest risk to the travelling public or any inconvenience beyond what may be caused by the trains having to travel at a slow speed over the site of the workings.