§ Sir R. Gowerasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he has any information as to the cause of the fire that broke out at the Princess Royal Colliery, Bream, Gloucestershire, on 13th September whether all the men employed below ground were withdrawn; whether four ponies which were not withdrawn at the time of the outbreak were found to be dead or missing when the mine was later visited by His Majesty's Inspector of Mines; and why the ponies were not withdrawn with the men?
Major Lloyd GeorgeThe fire was started by a short circuit in an electric cable. All the workmen were safely withdrawn except one, who was overcome by smoke and fumes. There were four ponies which could not be withdrawn in the short time available because the roadway by which they usually travelled was fouled by smoke and fumes, and the alternative road by which the men had to escape was obstructed by tubs. To have withdrawn the ponies would have endangered the lives of the men.
§ Sir R. Gowerasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is making a special effort to obtain adequate supplies of horses and ponies for use below ground in mines; whether adequate reserves of ponies are being maintained for use in cases of emergency or sickness among the animals; and whether, in each mine employing more than 50 ponies, a 10 per cent. reserve number of ponies is regarded as sufficient?
Major Lloyd GeorgeThere is no shortage of pit ponies so far as I am aware. No requests for assistance in obtaining ponies have been received in my Department. Most collieries have some ponies in reserve. The number depends upon the number they require for normal work and their arrangements for obtaining and training additional animals when needed, and I should not like to lay down any fixed proportion as a standard for general adoption.