§ Mr. GEORGE ROBERTSasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that, in addition to the accident at Postlethwaite's Iron Ore Mine, Moor Row, of which his Department is cognisant, three other accidents have occurred, namely, on 8th March Robert Maxwell sustained a poisoned arm through fall of ore, on 19th April Jonathan Barrie sustained blood poisoning through bogie accident, and on 23rd May the wrist of J. Payne was sprained through defective platform; if he will state why the provisions of the Metalliferous Mines Act were not complied with by these accidents being reported; whether he is aware that a former employé in the mine, a trade union delegate, has been victimised for reporting accidents in order that compensation might be secured; and whether he is aware that, as the district inspector resides over 100 miles distant from Moor Row, he is not in a position to make himself effectively acquainted with the management of the mine?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI have received particulars of these accidents from the inspector of mines, who informs me that in his opinion they were not accidents of the class which, under the Act, have to be reported immediately on their occurrence. Maxwell was injured through a piece of ore catching him on the hand while dressing the roof. He was off work for a fortnight. Barrie had a finger jammed between a bogie and prop. The accident was not in itself serious; but subsequently, as the injury did not heal properly, the finger had to be amputated. Payne slipped off a plank, and sprained his wrist; but has now recovered. All the accidents will be included in the return which the owner is required to make under the Notice of Accidents Act at the end of the year. The inspector cannot ascertain that any employé has been victimised for reporting accidents, but he finds that a trade union dele- 17 gate who considered himself unfairly treated as to his working place left of his own accord some weeks ago. It is the case that the district inspector lives over 100 miles from this mine, but that does not prevent him making himself well acquainted with the management of the mine. As a matter of fact, an assistant inspector specially assigned to metalliferous mines and quarries resides within three miles of the mine, and reports regularly to the district inspector.