§ SIR HENRY SELWIN-IBBETSON (Essex, Epping)asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, If his attention has been called to the evidence given by Mr. Palmer and Captain Shaw before the Coroner, at the inquiry into the sad loss of life in Beak Street on the 28th of April; whether that evidence tends to show that the long hours of continuous work, which (from the limited funds for this purpose at the disposal of the Metropolitan Board of Works) is 1518 forced upon the men of the Brigade, is unfair to the men themselves and dangerous to the safety of the public; whether the time has come when the recommendation of the Select Committee of 1876, that the Rate for the purposes of the Eire Brigade should be raised from the present limit of one halfpenny to a Rate of one penny, ought to be carried out; and, whether he is prepared to recommend to Parliament, in the interests and for the safety of the public, that this additional rating power should be granted by Statute to the Metropolitan Board of Works?
THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. CHILDERS) (Edinburgh, S.)In reply to my hon. Friend, I have to say that I have no control over, or knowledge of, the details of the management of the Fire Brigade; but the Metropolitan Board of Works are aware that I am favourable to the limit of ½d. for the Fire Brigade rate being raised as proposed in the Bill now before Parliament.