§ Sir R. GOWERasked the Secretary for Mines the number of ponies and horses employed below ground and equipped with electric-battery lamps attached to collars or harness worn by them; the number of mines in the various divisions where these lamps are carried by the horses; the number of mines at which the horses have been fitted with such lamps for a period of not less than three years; and whether there are any objections to the general use of such lamps in mines?
§ Mr. E. BROWNFigures for the year ended 30th June, 1934, are not yet available, and I cannot at present add to the reply I gave the hon. Member on 12th December last in which I stated that at 30th June, 1933, 472 horse lamps were in use at 29 mines. No type of horse lamp has yet been on the approved list for so long as three years. In some instances, I understand, there have been complaints of the glare caused by these lamps to persons meeting them on unlighted roads, but I do not know of any other objection to their use, which is, in fact, encouraged by the mines inspectors.