I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he can give the number of fatal and non-fatal acccidents during the three years, 1904–5–6, arising from the use of a brake-stick by the workman in pinning down the brake, and from the pressure of the workman's body upon the brake for the same purpose; and if he is able to give the number occurring on private sidings and on railway companies' lines respectively.

No separate record has been kept of such accidents for 1904 and 1905, but in 1906 no fatal and fifty-three non-fatal accidents to railway servants whilst using a brake-stick were reported to the Board of Trade. I have no information as to the number of these due to the pressure of the man's body on the brake-stick or as to the number of accidents in private sidings to persons other than the servants of a railway company.