§ MR. PEACOCKEsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether he will bring in his Bill upon the subject of Fires in the Metropolis before Easter; and, also, whether he has recently received an official communication from the Insurance Companies, stating that they do not mean to continue the present Fire Brigade any longer?
§ SIR GEORGE GREYsaid, such a communication had not been recently received. It was received last year, and was, he believed, laid before the House. It stated the desire of the Insurance Companies to be relieved from the charge now laid upon them of maintaining the Fire Brigade. He had been in communication with the representatives of those Companies, and other bodies, and he hoped he should be able to make an arrangement which would be satisfactory to them and conducive to the public interest. The arrangement was not yet complete, and he did not think it would be in time to enable him to lay the Bill on the table before Easter.