MOTION FOR AN ADDRESS. (Hansard, 13 February 1880)

§ EARL DE LA WARR,
in moving for the Report of the Inquiry into the Leycett Colliery Explosion, said, his object in doing so was that it might be placed in their Lordships' hands as soon as possible, the accident being of an unusually fatal character, resulting, he believed, in the loss of 61 lives, and attended by circumstances which seemed to render a strict inquiry specially necessary. He might also add that it was a case bearing very much upon the question now before their Lordships' House with regard to the liability of employers for injuries to their servants. It had been stated that another fatal explosion occurred in this mine so recently as September last, and that its dangers were 584 so well known that safety-lamps of a peculiar construction were used; but, notwithstanding that fact, in the evidence given before the magistrates it appeared that the manager of the mine, though required by the Mines Regulation Act to exercise daily supervision, was absent for 10 days previous to the accident. Mr. Wynne, Government Inspector of Mines, said, at the examination before the magistrates— He was present at the inquest and heard the defendant (the manager) state that he had not been into the Fair Lady pit (i.e.,where the accident happened) for 10 days prior to the explosion. It was very wrong for a manager to absent himself from the mine for so long a period as 10 days. In a pit like this, knowing they were driving into virgin ground, the defendant ought never to have missed more than one day, especially when he might have examined the place in an hour.… He was not justified in trusting to the contractor. A contractor ought not to act as underlooker. He was astonished when he saw the lower level that such a thing should have been done. If Mr. Stevenson had gone down the pit and seen what was being done, he (witness) did not believe he would have allowed it to go on. In fact, Mr. Stevenson said himself he did not know what was being done. Driving the level in the way they were doing, with the means of ventilation employed, rendered it almost impossible for the thing to go on without an explosion. Such was the evidence given by the Government Inspector of Mines at the recent inquiry before the magistrates, which resulted in the conviction of the manager for not having exercised the control and supervision which the Act required. A full report of this terrible accident would doubtless appear in the usual Mining Reports; but as probably some time would elapse before they were presented, it was, he thought, very desirable that their Lordships should have, as early as possible, such information as could without inconvenience be given.

§ EARL BEAUCHAMP
said, that the noble Earl seemed to have confused one or two matters which should have been kept separate. He was sorry to say that, unfortunately, two accidents had occurred at this colliery—one on September 8, and the other on January 22 last. The noble Earl, in the reports which he had quoted, had referred to the accident that occurred on September 8. After that 585 explosion an inquiry was held by the Government Inspector, and a Queen's Counsel, Mr. Wheelhouse, was employed to watch the proceedings on the part of the Government. The Inspector duly presented his Report to the Home Secretary, and subsequently proceedings were taken against the manager and two other persons concerned with the mine. One of the cases was dismissed, and in the other two fines were inflicted. In this explosion eight men lost their lives; but in the last explosion last month between 60 and 70 men were killed. In the last explosion the loss of life had been so serious that the inquest which had been held had been adjourned until the 18th instant; and up to the present time no Report of these proceedings had been received from the Inspector of Mines as to that accident. Under those circumstances, he was unable to comply with the request of the noble Earl, and, for the best of all reasons, that the Report had not yet been presented. He was not sure when the Report would be received; but Mr. Wheelhouse had been again instructed to watch the proceedings on the part of the Government until a verdict had been arrived at. It was impossible to say what steps would be taken. He could not produce the Report as to the first accident.

§ LORD ABERDARE
asked whether it was not a fact that the manager who was now on his trial was one of the persons who was convicted of an offence arising out of the explosion of September?

§ EARL BEAUCHAMP
said, he had no information on the subject.