§ Mr. HAYWARDasked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been 665W called to the fact that Mr. H. E. Winny, inspector of explosives to the City of London Corporation, when giving evidence at the inquest by the City coroner and a jury into six fires which occurred at 39, Cripplegate within a period of nine weeks, stated that they had attempted to obtain legislation with regard to the storing of celluloid, but that they and the London County Council had been successful only in the cases of films and celluloid sheets; and whether, in view of the fact that there is a large quantity of celluloid in the City, he is prepared to promote legislation which shall confer wider powers on county and municipal authorities as regards the storing of same?
§ Mr. SHORTTI have seen the coroner's notes of the evidence, from which it appears that there were on these premises some celluloid collars and celluloid buttons. The jury found in each case that the fire had been wilfully caused by some person or persons unknown. The question of further legislation to deal with celluloid dangers is under consideration, but to extend Regulations to all premises in which comparatively small stocks of celluloid articles are kept would involve many difficulties.