[55.] Similar Diagrams for successive Groups of Four Years from 1877-92. (Figures obtained from Mr. Ellis's Return ordered by the House of Commons, Feb. 13, 1894.) and the Midland. The contracting-out lines are respectively the second best and the worst but one-namely, the London, Brighton, and South Coast, and the London and NorthWestern. In case of injuries the results are equally conclusive in the denial of any causal connection between contracting-out and decreased safety; this, too, in spite of [55.] the fact that apparently minor accidents of every kind are reported more accurately by those companies which grant compensation for all accidents under a mutual insurance fund. The corresponding figures giving the proportion of fatal accidents in mines were also obtained from Sir Godfrey Lushington's Memorandum. As in the case of Table showing the Proportion of Fatal Accidents in Mines in Successive The only attempt with which I am acquainted to prove by statistics that the practice of contracting-out leads to an increase in the number of accidents is that made by Mr. Burns in his speech in the House of Commons on the new Employers' Liability Bill. He then compared the number of fatal accidents in the last few years on the London and North-Western Railway, where the men contract out, with the total number of accidents on the Midland Railway, where they do not contract out, showing that the former stood in a relatively bad position. If he had compared like with like, and contrasted the rate of accidents as a whole on both railways, he would have seen that on both lines the rate has tended to decrease steadily in about the same proportion. It may be noted that a comparison merely of any one year with another, such as that made by Mr. Burns with reference to the number of accidents on American railways in 1888 and 1891, is misleading, as any special cause-such as a serious accident-may abnormally raise the total. A glance at the diagrams shows that practically any conclusion can be drawn by this method. railways, the figures in the above table have been grouped [55.] in such a way as to give, both for successive single years and groups of years, the proportion of accidents in mines where the system of contracting-out prevails, in those where it hardly exists, and in those in which a considerable proportion contract out, though not the majority. In Durham and Northumberland, not one of the miners, numbering nearly 108,000 in June 1891, has contracted out of the Act. In Yorkshire, the men are also opposed to the system of contracting-out; and it does not exist except in the case of the collieries of a single firm, belonging to Messrs. Charlesworth. In North Wales, all the members of the Permanent Relief Society, to the number of 10,568, have contracted-out. In South Wales, 'the freedom of the individual workman (to contract out) is... beyond question.' Members of the Monmouthshire and South Wales Permanent Provident Society contract out, but it is left perfectly free to each man whether he will join the society or not; anyone can leave it at any time; in some collieries half are in, half out.' In the more dangerous collieries, where accidents more frequently occur, the men mostly join the society because they are more sure to profit by its benefits.' The number of contractingout miners steadily increased from 5,665 in 1881 to 57,580 in 1890. The number of colliers who did not contract out was 67,227 in 1881 and 72,346 in 1891. The diagram showing the proportion of fatal accidents in mines in successive single years shows as steady, if not a steadier, improvement in the case of West Lancashire and North Wales, a contracting-out district, than in any of the noncontracting-out districts. In South Wales, the proportion of accidents has remained fairly stationary; but proof that the operatives themselves do not regard the practice of contracting-out as connected with decreased safety is afforded by the fact that the number of those who contract out has increased enormously. Similar conclusions are afforded by the diagram showing the proportion of fatal accidents for successive groups of years; and, although the Proportion of accidents to No. of employés proportion of accidents in the contracting-out districts is considerably in excess of that in the noncontracting-out districts, this would appear to be due to a difference in the physical condition of the mines. In the contracting-out district of West Lancashire and North Wales the proportion appears to be normally higher than in other districts, for in 1877, before the 1100 I. Contracting-out. II. Non-contracting-out. III. Majority non-contracting-out. South Wales. 1889 1873 1875 1877 1879 1881 [55.] Diagram showing the proportion of Fatal Accidents in Mines to the Number of Employés, from 1873 to 1890, compiled from the Reports of H.M. Inspectors of Mines. 1883 1885 1881 1889 |