§ Mr. D. GRENFELLasked the Secretary for Mines whether his attention has been called to the great increase in the number of men disabled as a consequence of rock boring by the use of compressed-air machines; and whether the Department has suggested any special preventive measures to reduce or obviate the worst effect of this kind of employment?
§ Commodore KINGI presume the hon. Member is referring to silicosis, which is not a notifiable disease. There are therefore no statistics of disablement from the disease, but the general evidence 431W is that it is comparatively rare among miners, and I have no evidence of an increase in the number of cases. Preventive measures, such as improved ventilation and the use of water or a mechanical dust abstractor, are necessary where drilling is done in highly silicious rock and His Majesty's inspectors are attending to this.