§ Mr. STANTONasked the Home Secretary if he will endeavour at once to procure a greater measure of safety to life and limbs of miners by insisting upon manholes or refuge stations being fixed at closer distances upon all travelling ways underground, and that the same should be lit up by at least one electric light; will he take steps to ensure that proper notice boards should be fixed at danger points to show the rise and swing of journey ropes; and will he have inquiry made as to the numerous fatal accidents arising out of this form of neglect?
§ Mr. SHORTTSection 44 of the Coal Mines Act, 1911, fixes the distances between refuge holes, and provides that every refuge hole shall, if necessary to make it readily visible, be kept constantly whitewashed. The requirements of the 439W Section are based on recommendations of the Royal Commission on Coal Mines, who inquired carefully into the subject, And they are, I am advised, sufficient for safety. At fiery and dusty mines it would not be safe to introduce electricity on some of the roads. As regards journey ropes, I am advised that accidents due to men being unaware of the danger points are very few, but the mines inspectors will be instructed to draw the attention of managers and other officials to the desirability of putting up certain boards at these points.
§ Mr. STANTONasked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the need of a better and safer system of signalling in all pit shafts where landings are being worked; is he aware of the numerous fatal accidents in our mines owing to the disregard of a better method of signalling; and will he make inquiries into the fatal accident which occurred last week at the River Level Colliery, Aberdare, South Wales, with a view to minimising such accidents?
§ Mr. SHORTTI do not know what is the precise danger in the existing system of signalling which the hon. Member has in mind. That system was settled a few years ago after full inquiry, and very few accidents have occurred in recent years which could be attributed to defective signalling. I have called for a report on the accident referred to, and will consider the matter further after that report is received.