LORD STANLEYsaid, he wished to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether he will lay on the table the Copy of an application from the Mayor of Lynn asking him to interfere for the purpose of preventing the further extension of the floods in the fen districts, together with other Papers on the subject; and whether the right hon. Gentleman will state to the House the nature of the answer which has been given to this application?
§ SIR GEORGE GREYTwo or three days ago, Sir, I received letters from the Mayor of Lynn and from the incumbent of a parish in the neighbourhood, who expressed their opinion that sufficient 2098 means were not being used to arrest the progress of this calamity, and guard against its recurrence. I forwarded these letters immediately to the Middle Level Commissioners, and received a prompt answer inclosing the report of Mr. Hawkshaw, the engineer, which was read in the House yesterday by the hon. Member for Huntingdonshire (Mr. Fellowes). There can be no objection to lay those Papers upon the table. About an hour ago, as the noble Lord is aware, I received a deputation of Members connected with that part of the country, and of gentlemen resident there, and they mentioned several important points to which they wished the attention of the Middle Level Commissioners still to be directed. I requested them to reduce that statement to writing, which they undertook to do. This shall be transmitted to the Commissioners, with a view to call their attention to these points, and urge the necessity of every exertion being made to guard against the recurrence of this calamity at the approach of the spring tides.