SECOND READING. (Hansard, 22 May 1882)

§ THE EARL OF DERBY

, in moving that the Bill be now read a second time, said, that it had received the general assent of the other House of Parliament. The Bill provided that notice of every case of boiler accident should be given to the Board of Trade, after which an inquiry would be instituted if the Board of Trade thought it necessary. The Board had an option in the matter. Boiler explosions were of frequent occurrence in manufacturing districts, and it had been ascertained without doubt that out of 1,000 accidents from boiler explosions, all but an inappreciable minority arose from the badness of the boilers. Some, no doubt, also from carelessness or negligence. But there was no doubt that in most cases they were preventible. If inquiries were more generally made, defects might be discovered—whether they were in the original construction, or from wear and use, and these inquiries might lead to better boilers being used. Since 1865 1,051 persons had been killed, and 1,519 injured by boiler explosions. A striking proof of the preventibility of these accidents was afforded by the operations of an association called the Manchester Steam Users' Association. That Association provided for the in- 1245 spection of the boilers of its members. It also undertook to guarantee against accidents, and not a single loss of life bad occurred during the time that he had mentioned to the boilers of persons belonging to that Association. He thought that that was ample proof of the truth of what he had said, that these accidents were preventible. As things were now, there was only a Coroner's inquest in case of death. But the inquiry ought to be rather one of scientific experts than of a Coroner's Jury. It had been suggested by some persons that the Board of Trade should hold periodical examinations of boilers; but that might be too onerous and too inquisitorial a method, and the Bill provided an appropriate middle course. If it were found that the Bill did not go far enough it would be open to either House of Parliament to introduce a more stringent measure. He, therefore, begged to move the second reading of the Bill.