§ Colonel DAYasked the Minister of Health if his attention has been drawn to the remarks made by the Buckingham-shire Coroner at a recent inquest, suggesting that boats and canoes let out for hire should be provided with some form of life-buoy, in view of the number of recent accidents; and will he consider the advisability of making the provision of such apparatus compulsory?
§ Sir K. WOODI have seen a Press report of the inquest. Local authorities have power to make bye-laws for the regulation of pleasure boats and vessels, and the bye-laws can provide for the carrying of proper life-saving appliances. Similar bye-laws for the Thames, which are confirmed by the Board of Trade, not by me, can be made by the Conservancy. It is usual for local authorities to require lifebuoys to be carried on boats propelled otherwise than by oars, but not on other boats except in special cases. I doubt, on present information, whether it would be reasonable to make the provision of life-buoys compulsory in all these cases.