AN HONOUR FOR JAMES PARKER.
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Seconder in all that they have said. When I tell the House that many of my own personal friends, and also five men in the Battalion of the Territorial Army which I have the honour to command, are down the pit at Whitehaven, I think they will understand that to me the subject now before the House is a very painful one. I agree with the Mover and Seconder that possibly the numbers of Inspectors of mines is inadequate, but I should like to point out that probably the want of consideration which Inspectors meet with in time of trouble leads to a difficulty in finding a suitable number of Inspectors. The Inspector at Whitehaven, who had to take upon himself the responsibility of giving the order to wall up the mine to save further, loss of life, took upon his shoulders—and, I daresay, he 'passed through the worst minute he ever spent. in his life—a responsibility which I am perfectly certain no Member of this House would have liked to have taken up. With reference to life-saving instruments, I agree with both the Mover and Seconder in the arguments they have put forward, and I also agree that the Government, if they think that these appliances are necessary, ought to give facilities to different mines in different districts for getting the instruments. I would make no hard and fast rule, but I would point out, for the benefit of the House, that the Colliery Company have these instruments at the pit mouth. I also agree it would be well to have these life-saving appliances kept in certain positions, so that they might reach the pit's mouth after half an hour's ride by motor. I certainly am in favour of keeping an efficient staff for working the life-saving plant."
AN HONOUR FOR JAMES PARKER. Our old friend, " James," who was for so many years porter at this school, has been the recipient of a handsome testimonial on his giving up his Masonic duties. The testimonial, which
