§ 63 and 64. Mr. EDWARD WILLIAMSasked the Secretary for Mines (1) the number of inspections made by His Majesty's inspectors and workmen's examiners at the International Colliery, Blaengarw, Glamorganshire; the nature of the reports; and what action he proposes to take to make the management ensure safe conditions of employment to miners and horses at the colliery;
(2) the cause of the stoppage of work at the International Colliery., Blaengarw, Glamorganshire; whether he will make inquiries into the miners' refusal to work in conditions reported unsafe by His Majesty's inspectors; and whether he will make a statement on the matter?
§ Mr. E. BROWNOn the 27th March two workmen's inspectors reported adversely on the state of the ventilation of the straight district in the lower new seam. On the 1st April, the whole of the mine was stopped and work was resumed after further inspections made on the 3rd and 4th April by His Majesty's inspectors, accompanied by the workmen's inspectors. Soon after this district was originally opened up the divisional inspector had impressed on the management the necessity for improved means to ventilate it, and as a result the return airway has been improved. A hard heading is being driven to provide a more direct return airway. During the past 12 months there have been made at this colliery 33 underground inspections by His Majesty's inspectors, including three inspections by an inspector of horses, and there have been 10 inspections on behalf of the workmen. These figures show that very close attention has been paid to the safety of the conditions at this colliery, and that attention must be continued by all concerned until the necessary improvements have been completed.