The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-04-08 00:00:00

THE PROPOSED NEW LICENSING BILL.

The trllowing hi an abstract ot the chief features of Mr.
Bructi New Wantlog

EXCISE LICENCES.

The 53. table-beer licence for sale of beer to be con.
turned " 6ff the premises" to be abolished.
Ordinary excise licences for sale of rquor "off the
premises" to be granted only on a magistrate's certi-
ficate, except in the case of licences to sell by retail
held by wh.l,---ale spirit or wine merchants. Grocers
will still be al owed to sell in Las quantities than a
dozen bottles.

GENERAL LICENCES.

In future " publicana' general licences" will be I
issued, to cerreepond with the present pnblican's
licence, and "publicans' limited certificates," cornea
pondirg withthe present beer licences, except that they
confer the power of selling wine.
The Tribunal—ln the boroughs, whether with or
without a separate court , f quarter sesaiiins, the
licetsiug jastices will be the jiottc, a if the borough,
itt the couoties they will be e 'nay justices, acting in
and for the special sessiorial divisions. Stiperichary
magistrates, not being metropolitan police magistrates,
wilt be empowered to act as licensing justieee, so far is
concerns ell certificates within their jurisdiction. No
appeal will be given from the decision ad the justices
in r, six cb of the exercise of their licensing jurisdic-
thm.
Livnsing Districts--The present jurisdiction of the
juetlcee to be retained, bui, subdivided into licensing
districts. The districts will be, in places where there
are wards, the wards, and in boroughs with nit wards
the whole borough ; in a petty sessional eivision of a
county, each parish or place where a separate rate is or
cml be levied. The justices ti be empawered in the
exercise of their discretion further to divide these die-
tricte.
Nuntl,er of Liecnas.—At the general annuaViaensing
seseionsthe jeustiees will madder what number of lic. noes
should be issued in the district. In the event of their
being oi opinion that no increase in the number of
licences is desirable, no certificates will be booed; but
if otherwise, they will then determa,e by resolusion
what the number of certificates Audi b-. Ilse justices
will advertise this number, and it will be open to a
certain proportion of the ratepayers to take a vote
of the ratepayers on the question, a majority of
three-tifths of whom will have tie power of deter-
Inhale g the number of certificates to be issued. The
rat, payers,' veto is limited as follows—if there is
no publican's certifiatte in existence in the district, or
if the number in existence in the district and the
number prop, sed to be issued do not when added to-
gether exceed the proportion of one certificate to so
many ratepayers, no poll can be taken; and if the jus-
tices propose to increase the number above the parlia-
mentary standard, and the ratepayers by their veto
vote that it ehall be reduced below the staudard, power
is given to the jnat'ces to raise it up to the standard by
Leming the necessary number of certifieatea, general or
limited, as they may think fit.
Allotment of Liecnces.--Whe juatices will then invite
by pmilic anvertisement tenders tor the number of
certificates to be issued. The form of the tender is
an undertaking to pay a licence rent annually during
the continuance of the certificate, such licence rent to
be a percentage on the gross annual value according to
the poor-rate assessment of the premises to which the
certificate is tube attached. But no premises shall be
deemed to be assessed at less than kr,o or more than
LAO. The thing to be tendered for is a publican's
general certificate authorising the holder to set up a
publichouee anywhere within the district unless in any
part specially barred by the justices, such certificate
to be good only for a limited term ef ten years from
the passing of the bill, but during that term to be an-
nually renewable as a matter of right. Tenders will
similarly be invited for publicans' limited certificates,
in which case the minimum licence rent still be lower.
Any person not within the etatutory disqualifications
may tender for all or any of the c,rtifi3,tes. 'residers
to bit received by the justices and opened publicly by
them en a given day. The certificates then to be
allotted to the persons making the its-Lest tender.
Conditions of Licence.— The certificates tins allotted
will not be tieally issued to each anotiee until he has
procured the approval of the justicee, if the pre.
nii;et proposed and of a manager for their. Oppor-
tunity wll be given to the allottee to apply to
the justices for the approval of the premises before he
has actually acquired them or has b-en put to the ex-
pense of fitting them up, or for the approval of the
plans before the premises are constructed.
After the manager and premiere have been thus ap-
proved, the allottee will pay his licence rent in advance,
obtain his certificate, take it to the Excise authorities,
and obtain his excise licence.
Renewal of Lie:ewe—Magistrates to have the power
of renewing licences at their annual meeting. Toe
holder of a licence may remove his licence .from one
portion of a distri t to another, prorided with ski
proval ot the justice,.