§ 41. Mr. DICKIEasked the Secretary for Mines what progress has been made in the organisation of courses of safety instruction for boys employed at the mines in Northumberland and Durham?
§ Mr. E. BROWNCourses of safety instruction covering a period of three months were started last Autumn at con- 884 venient centres in both counties, and over 1,750 boys in all were enrolled. A second session of classes was started in the New Year, and enrolments, which numbered about 1,400, represent an entirely fresh set of boys except for a few boys who are taking the course a second time. These results have only been achieved by the combined and unremitting efforts of men of good will in the education authorities and all sections of the mining industry, and of the boys themselves. I have great hopes of the advantages to be secured from these courses of safety instruction, and I am glad to have this opportunity of expressing my warm appreciation of the public-spirited work of all those concerned, and of the success which is attending it.
§ Mr. DICKIEIn view of the advantage of this particular form of instruction, will the Minister encourage the formation of similar classes in other districts?
§ Mr. BROWNMy hon. Friend will understand that other counties follow Yorkshire, Notts and Derby, Lancashire, and other districts, and we are doing all we can to get every district to take them up.