June 19, 1914. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 1405 PARLIAMENTARY INTELLIGENCE. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—June 10. Shot-Firing Appliances. Sir Ivor Herbert asked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the undoubted connection of shot-firing with serious disasters in coal mines, he had considered, or was consider- ing, the advisability of making compulsory the use of speci- ally approved shot-firing appliances. Mr. McKenna said the question of the dangers connected with shot-firing in mines had been the subject of close and continuous study by the department for a great many years, and a series of Orders had from time to time been issued specifying the precautions to be observed in the use of explosives. The principal Order now in force was made in September last, and regulates the whole matter very fully, including the nature of the appliances to be used, so far as it was considered necessary to do so in the interests of safety. The whole question would continue to receive the careful attention of the department. In a further reply, the Home Secretary said he was unable to give the total amount of compensation paid in respect of these accidents, as the returns under the Work- men’s Compensation Act did not show separately the amount of compensation paid in respect of the different classes of accident; but in 1912 the average compensation paid in cases of fatal accidents generally in mines was about T162. June 11. The Scottish Oil Trade. Major Hope asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he had been requested to receive a deputation representing the Scottish oil trade on the subject of Excise restrictions which hamper production. Mr. Lloyd George said he had received from the repre- sentatives of the Scottish oil trade a request to receive a deputation, but before coming to any decision he would be glad to have further time to examine the statement they had submitted. Pit Ponies. Mr. Butcher asked the Home Secretary whether his attention had been called to the fact that in some mines the horses and ponies employed there were supplied with water from the boiler pond; whether such water was totally unfit for consumption by animals; and whether he would give directions that the inspectors should enquire into the matter. Mr. McKenna said no cases had been brought to his notice in which the horses and ponies are supplied with water from the same source as the boiler, but he was advised that water from this source was not by any means necessarily unfit to drink, and was sometimes used for human consumption. He had no evidence in his possession to indicate the need of issuing any special instructions to the inspectors, who were fully aware of the regulations on the subject. Mr. Butcher asked the Home Secretary whether his attention had been called to the fact that in the year 1912, according to the inspectors’ reports, 2,852 horses and ponies employed in mines were killed by or destroyed in conse- quence of accidents, and about 2,300 died from or had to be destroyed in consequence of disease; whether he would state whether any of these 2,852 deaths from accident might have been prevented by using proper care; what were the specific forms of disease causing such 2,300 deaths from disease; and what were the causes of such disease. Mr. McKenna said it would be impossible to say without holding an enquiry into the circumstances in each case how far the deaths from accidents might have been prevented by using greater care. But the inspectors were instructed to enforce to the fullest extent the regulations contained in the Act for the protection of the horses and other animals employed, and he was glad to learn that the reports for last year, which were now in the hands of the chief inspector, showed that these regulations were being gener- ally well observed throughout the country. Particulars were not available, in the cases of the deaths from disease, as to the specific forms of disease or the causes. He would consider that point. On the Home Office vote, Mr. Butcher referred to the inspection of ponies and horses in mines. He said the Home Secretary had appointed six inspectors, and that number was entirely inadequate. He had the evidence of something like 50 mining lodges, who were agreed that there had been an improvement. He had also statements from the inspectors themselves to the same effect. But while there had been some improvement, there was still room for a very considerable further improvement. There were grave cases of well-founded complaint that the regulations had not been observed. What he urged was that they must have the number of inspectors increased beyond six. At present there were about 600 mines and 12'000 horses for each inspector. If there were adequate inspection over these ponies the Home Secretary ought to be able to tell them something about the deaths from accidents, which amounted to one in 25, or the deaths from disease, which numbered one in 31. He also referred to letters which had been written by miners in different parts of the country, giving the details of specific cases of ill-treatment which had come before them. They proved that there were many cases throughout the mines of this country where the regula- tions supplied by the Act of 1911 were not being observed, especially in respect of three matters. One was in regard to the overworking of ponies; the second, the inadequacy of the food and water which they received; and the third, what was called “ roofing.” The evidence with regard to overworking in these letters showed that there were many cases where ponies were worked two shifts of eight hours each in the day, with perhaps half-an-hour in between, and very little time for either water or food, and in some cases for even more than two shifts. With regard to the food and the water, he had cases showing it was seldom in some of these mines that they were given any food at all in the working hours, and not often water. In some hot mines there were ponies working eight, nine, and ten hours with- out a drop of water. He suggested that, when the inspec- tors were called upon in the course of their business to go to the mines, no notice should be sent. Mr. McKenna pointed out that the hon. and learned gentleman based his case statistically on the only statistics he had before him, those for the year 1912, but the opera- tions of the inspectors of pit ponies only began in February of last year (1913). Therefore until he had the report for 1913 before him he would not be able to form a judgment of what the effect of the appointment of these inspectors had been. So far as he was at present advised, the inspectors had been able to do very valuable work, and a great improvement had been effected in the condition of the ponies. The hon. member spoke of the number of mines in the country being over 3,200. He must not overlook the fact that the number of mines in which ponies or horses were employed was considerably less than that. There were only something over 2,000 mines with horses or ponies in them. Consequently the labours thrown upon the six inspectors were not as great as one would be led to suppose. The hon. gentleman called attention to the number of acci- dents, fatal and otherwise, to ponies. The accidents to human beings were at least as numerous. The difference was largely owing to the fact that horses which met with serious accidents were killed. The figures in regard to horses included those cases where horses were subsequently killed in consequence of accident. They could hardly compare those cases with fatal accidents to human beings. If the hon. member wished to eliminate accidents absolutely from mines there was only one way to do it—he must stop mining. It was not due to any defect of inspection, nor to any large extent to want of care on the part of employers or men that such accidents did occur. They were, in the true sense of the word, accidents. The number of separate inspections made by the six horse inspectors in 1913 was 1,576. In Year. Mines under the Coal Mines Act. Quarries. Fatal. Non-fatal. Fatal. Non-fatal. Accidents. Persons killed. Accidents. Persons injured. Accidents. Persons killed. ' Accidents. Persons injured. 1903 21 21 120 143 8 8 64 78 1904 24 25 107 142 10 10 80 97 1905 21 139 129 171 11 12 48 63 1906 18 45 98 119 7 10 77 101 1907 32 42 166 i 204 12 13 71 84 1908 26 126 174 205 9 10 69 84 1909 17 45 165 198 6 6 66 78 1910 17 19 158 i 196 11 13 64 71 1911 10 12 197 I 245 5 5 52 69 1912 14 16 149 i 181 4 . 4 56 74 1913 20 27 171 193 6 7 69 81 Total ... 220 517 1,634 1,997 89 98 716 880 Note.—The table includes all explosions of firedamp or coal dust due to shot-firing, by which persons were killed or injured. This cause accounted for 121 of the deaths in 1905, and for 103 of the deaths in 1908, and for 316 in all out of the total of 517. The table gives the number of accidents due to all causes connected with shot-firing. It is impossible to distinguish those accidents which were due to mistakes on the part of the shot-firer. the case of small mines, more than one might be inspected in a day. The number of horses was about 71,000, accord- ing to the latest figures. Practically the inspectors had been able to cover the ground. But he would wait for their full report before he committed himself to any opinion as to whether it is necessary to appoint further inspectors. The report would be out the first week in July. Rescue Appliances * Answering Mr. Duncan Millar, who raised the question of the supply of rescue apparatus in Lanarkshire, Mr. McKenna assured him that every step would be taken to see that the regulations were carried out. The regulations had only just come into force, and it was too early yet to give him an account of the establishment of central rescue stations. He had no reason to suppose that the employers would not themselves quite readily undertake the duties which were thrown upon them; nor that there will be any unnecessary delay. They did not ask anyone to give an undertaking that he would do his duty. Accident in a Sinking Pit. Mr. Brace asked the Home Secretary whether a work- man was killed while working as a pumpsman at the North Celynen New Sinkings Collieries, Monmouthshire, on May 9; that the cause of death, as stated at the inquest, was owing to the bursting of a steam joint in the lodge room; that the lodge room was an inset in the pit 75 yds. below the surface, and was about 11 ft. square; and that the workman had no way of escape, as there was no signalling apparatus as provided for by the Coal Mines Act, nor ingress and egress roads; and was it his intention to pro- ceed against the company and management for a violation of rules and regulations. Mr. McKenna said he had received reports on this case by the divisional inspector, which appeared to show that there was a breach of section 59 of the Act, and he had directed proceedings to be taken against the persons respon- sible. June 15. The Three-Shift System. A Bill “ to restrict work in coal mines to certain hours of the day ” was presented by’ Sir Richard Cooper, sup- ported by Mr. Hills and Mr. Leslie Scott, and it was ordered to be read a second time upon Wednesday, June 24, and to be printed. Sir Richard Cooper also asked the Prime Minister whether any representations had been made to the Govern- ment to the effect that the three-shift system in coal mining in Northumberland affected the miners or their dependants adversely, and that in consequence dissatisfac- tion with the system existed in that district; whether he could say if any attempts had been made by employers to minimise the inconvenience; and whether he would give a day for the discussion of the matter. Mr. McKenna, who replied, said the Government had not received any representations in this matter, but they were aware that dissatisfaction was felt by the workmen with the three-shift system, and that this was due, in part at any rate, to the inconvenience and discomfort caused when members of the same household work in different shifts and come home at different hours. He was given to understand that arrangements were made as far as possible to have the workers of the same family in only one or two of the shifts, so as to mitigate the inconvenience. The matter was not one in which he had any power to intervene, and he was afraid it would not be possible to give a day for its dis- cussion. Mining Royalties and Wayleaves Abroad (France, Belgium, and Germany). Sir Richard Cooper asked the President of the Board.of Trade the total amounts paid in 1911 for mining royalties and wayleaves separately, on coal mined in France, Bel- gium, and Germany respectively. Mr. Burns said he regretted that he was unable to supply the information asked for. An attempt was made last year by the Board of Trade, with the assistance of the Foreign Office, to obtain identical information, but it was found that neither the German, the French, nor the Belgian Govern- ment could supply the figures. June 16. Shot-Firing Accidents. Viscount Wolmer asked the Home Secretary whether he could state the number of accidents, fatal and otherwise, which could reasonably be ascribed to mistakes or accidents in shot-firing, that occurred in coal mines and quraries during each year from 1903 to 1913, inclusive, and the total amount of compensation under the Workmen’s Compensa- tion Act paid in each year. Mr. McKenna said the particulars were as follow :— The table includes all explosions of firedamp or coal dust due to shot-firing by which persons were killed or injured. This cause accounted for 121 of the deaths in 1905 j and for 103 of the deaths in 1908, and for 316 in all out of the total of 517. The table gives the number of accidents due to all causes connected with shot-firing. It is impossible to dis- tinguish those accidents which were due to mistakes on the part of the shot-firer. June 17. Oil for the Navy. In the course of the debate on the motion to authorise the issue out of the Consolidation Fund of £2,200,000 for the acquisition of share or loan capital of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, Mr. Churchill made some important references in regard to the future policy of the Admiralty with respect to oil fuel. He said they did not intend to make themselves wholly dependent on this Anglo-Persian oil supply, or indeed upon an oil supply from any particular quarter. They would continue to depend upon coal as the main motive power of the Fleet for many years to come. They would continue to purchase a large portion of their supplies of oil from other parts of the world, from private companies of different character—some independent and some not, some in British territory, some in foreign countries, some under British control, some under foreign control.. They would continue to develop by all practical means the home supply of shale oil so far as it could be got at a reasonable price. They would do their utmost to encourage the scientific experiments now being carried out for the extraction of liquid fuel from shale and coal. The Government would make enquiries, and, if it was thought useful, would stimu- late the experiments by the offer of a substantial prize or prizes for the development of a process which would yield liquid fuel from coal at an economic price. The Admiralty must have power to control an oilfield somewhere, and there was absolutely no other practical alternative at the present time. Many years must pass before the Scottish shales could produce the necessary quantities at the price, although they did contribute a very valuable quota to our oil supplies. All sorts of schemes for extracting oil from coal would be tried, and also for extracting oil from clay. But all that was in the future. The Spontaneous Combustion Committee. Mr. Duncan Millar asked the Home Secretary whether the Committee on Spontaneous Combustion, appointed by the Home Office, is now considering the question of hydraulic stowage. Mr. McKenna replied in the affirmative. The chairman informed him that the committee had gone very thoroughly into the question of hydraulic stowage of wastes in mines from the point of view of the prevention of gob fires. Evidence has been taken from a German mining official, having special knowledge of the subject, who has visited and reported to the committee on the practicability of adopting this process in different British coal mines, and one member of the committee, the member for the Mansfield Division, recently visited the mines in the Pas-de-Calais, Westphalia, and Silesia, where the process is in operation, and provided the committee with a valuable report thereon. The subject will be dealt with in the report of the committee. He could not say when the report would be issued. Hull Joint Dock.—His Majesty the King is to open the new joint dock at Hull on Friday next.