THE EARL OF MILLTOWNrose to move that an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty for Copies of the Report made to the Home Office by Captain Shaw, chief officer of the London Fire Brigade, with regard to the dangers to which the public are exposed from fire in the Metropolitan theatres, and as to the means of exit provided for them. The noble Earl said it could not be denied that these dangers actually existed to a serious extent. Nothing could be more fallacious than to imagine themselves safe merely because they chose to shut their eyes to the perils around them. It had been stated that Captain Shaw's Report on the subject was of a very alarming character or description; but that was no reason for concealing its purpose. The dangers that existed were, to some extent, shown by the fires and panics which had recently occurred in different parts of the world; and if it had not been for the characteristic courage of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, on a recent occasion in London, when a bag of gas burst in connection with the limelight in a theatre, there might have been a great loss of life. The lessees of the theatres were bound to take reasonable care for the protection of the public in this matter; and if they failed or neglected to do so, he submitted that their licences should be refused and their theatres closed. The noble Earl concluded by moving his Motion.
§ Moved, That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty for copies of the Report made to the Home Office by Captain Shaw, chief 1807 officer of the London Fire Brigade, with regard to the dangers to which the public are exposed from fire in the Metropolitan theatres, and as to the means of exit provided for them.—(The Earl of Milltown.)
THE EARL OF ROSEBERYsaid, the noble Earl was not rightly informed that the Report of this Committee was addressed to the Home Office. It was addressed to the Metropolitan Board of Works, in whose cognizance that Report was at the present moment.
THE EARL OF ROSEBERYsaid, no, it was not in the Home Office; it was in the hands of the Metropolitan Board of Works. He would state what had occurred. In December last, the Home Secretary urged upon the Metropolitan Board of Works the necessity of some inquiry into the state of the London theatres. The Board of Works desired Captain Shaw to make a Report. That Report was issued last March. Since that time the Board of Works had taken the matter into their consideration, and forwarded copies of the Report to all persons interested, including the lessees of theatres reported upon. Since that time the Home Secretary had again urged the question upon the Board of Works. By 41&42 Vict., c. 32, the Board of Works had ample power to deal with the question. If the Metropolitan Board of Works could not see their way to take efficient action in the matter, it would be necessary for the Secretary of State to take such steps in regard to it as he might think desirable and the importance of it demanded. At the same time, he could not agree that it was conducive to the public interest to produce the Report at the present moment; because, until the result of the action of the Board of Works was known, there was no good reason for producing a Report, which, as the noble Earl had surmised, was not wholly of a satisfactory nature.
§ Motion (by leave of the House) withdrawn.