§ Mr. WADSWORTHasked the Home Secretary if be is aware that at the inquest on the Barnsley main fatality it was stated by Mr. John Keensmith, miner, working at the colliery, that he inspected the working place on behalf of the men, and, in his opinion, a bar should have been set before the accident, and it would have prevented the fatality; that the props he saw in the working place were not suitable owing to the excessive length; that there were no flat bars in the working place; and that the said complaints had been made previously to the under-manager about unsuitable timber, particularly round bars, being sent into the pit; and, seeing that the jury, on returning a verdict of accidental death, expressed the opinion that flat bars should be used in the future in such places, will he say what action he now proposes to take?
§ Mr. McKENNAI have seen a newspaper report of the inquest, from which it appears that Keensmith, who inspected862W the place of the accident on behalf of the men, gave evidence to the effect stated in the question. I am advised that if a bar had been set the accident might not have taken place, but the fall which caused the accident was due to a slip or smooth parting in the roof, which unfortunately was not noticed beforehand. The management have undertaken to see that bars are both provided and used in the future, and at a recent inspection the inspector found that both flat and round bars were being supplied to and used by the miners. I should add that the management deny that complaints had been made about the timber.