15. Mr. ERNEST WINTERTON (for Mr. TOM SMITH)asked the Secretary for Mines whether the inquiry into the use of automatic gas alarms has been completed, and, if so, the nature of the report; and whether he proposes to take any action with regard to the matter?
§ Mr. FOOTI have received a report from the Safety in Mines Research Board on the recent series of pit trials with a modified form of firedamp detector, and certain inquiries are now being made at the colliery concerned to complete the information I require for a full review of the position.
Mr. WINTERTONHave not inquiries on this subject been proceeding now for something like 18 months or two years and is there any possibility of early attention being given to this question during the Recess, considering the terrible loss of life caused through the lack of these detectors?
§ Mr. FOOTI answered a question bearing on that point a few days ago, and then stated that investigations and experiments had been proceeding. We have completed those experiments, and I hope that we shall be able to come to a conclusion very shortly.
§ Mr. R. A. TAYLORHave any of these gas detectors been tried at Churt?