§ Mr. JOHNasked the Secretary for Mines the result of the test arranged early last year throughout a colliery in South Wales of safety shot-firing appliances; and whether the Sub-committee appointed to advise on technical appliances generally has reported on this safety shot-firing appliance?
§ Lieut.-Colonel LANE-FOXThe Report of the Technical Appliances Committee is adverse. Tests have shown that when this appliance is used the operation of charging and stemming a shot hole takes more than twice the usual time to carry out, and that the appliance is liable through wear and tear to get out of order under pit conditions and so to introduce dangers which do not accompany the ordinary methods of charging and stemming. As I have previously pointed out, the vast majority of shot-firing accidents would not be prevented by the use of an appliance of this kind, and of the few accidents which it might prevent, nearly all would equally be avoided if the present requirements of the Explosives in Coal Mines Order were complied with.