§ 67. Mr. O'GRADYasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the death by drowning, on the 10th November last, of George Pead, the employé of a Cardiff pilot; whether any inquiry has been held; whether he is aware that the fatality was attributable to the practice of the pilot being transferred from his cutter to the ship in a punt manned by only one man and the ship not waiting until the punt had safely returned to the cutter; can he state the number of lives lost in this manner in the Bristol Channel during the year, and whether any inquiries have been held regarding them; and whether he will cause inquiry to be made with a view to preventing this loss of life?
Mr. BUXTONMy attention has been drawn to the case referred to by my hon. Friend, and an inquiry into the circumstances has been held. I find from the reports received by the Board of Trade that the facts are as stated in the question, except that the steamer did not proceed, but remained on the spot. The Board of Trade have no record of any similar case having occurred during the present year. I will communicate with the Cardiff Pilotage Board as to whether any steps can be 1884 taken to prevent a recurrence of such a casualty.