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Mines Department,

Dean Stanley Street,

Millbank,

Westminster, S.W.1.

31st July, 1923.

To Lieutenant-Colonel George Richard Lane-Fox, Secretary for Mines

SIR,

I beg to state that, in accordance with your instructions, I have held a formal investigation under Section 83 of the Coal Mines Act, 1911, into the causes and circumstances of the accident which occurred on the 24th February, 1923, in the Busty Shaft of the Medomsley Colliery, County Durham, whereby eight persons lost their lives, and I now have the honour to report as follows :—

The Coroner's Inquest on the persons killed in this accident was opened on Monday, 26th February, adjourned on that date to Thursday, 1st March, and concluded on the following day, Friday, 2nd March.

The verdict of the Coroner, Mr. John Graham, who sat without a jury, was to the effect that the men were accidentally killed by falling out of an ascending cage, consequent upon the cage coming out of the guides following the breakage of one or more of the cage shoes.

On 20th June I opened an Inquiry in the Police Court at Consett, and heard evidence on that day and the three following days, 23 witnesses being called. On the afternoon of the fourth day, Saturday, 23rd June. I made inspection at the colliery to witness and test the method of inspection of the cage shoes as made by Mr. Joseph Simpson, Enginewright of the Medomsley Colliery, and as described by him in his evidence given on the first day (20th June) of the Inquiry.

At the Inquiry the colliery company (Messrs. The Consett Iron Company Limited) was represented by Mr. F. O. Kirkup, Agent, and Mr. J. M. Aynsley, Solicitor. Mr. H. Heath, Solicitor, instructed by Mr. James Robson and Mr. Peter Lee, represented the Durham Miners' Association. Mr. W. Straker represented the Miners' Federation of Great Britain, and Colonel W. C. Blackett attended as representative of the Institution of Mining Engineers. Mr. T. Ashley, Senior Inspector of Mines, conducted the examination in chief of the witnesses called by me.

Mr. T. Greenland Davies, Inspector in charge of the Northern Division, was present throughout the Inquiry, but took no active part in the proceedings, his appointment to the Division having been made subsequent to the accident. Mr. H. T. Foster, Senior Inspector of Mines, was also present throughout the Inquiry and gave evidence.