The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-09-24 00:00:00

ocal an pistrict gews.

ANNUAL DINNER OF THE LICENSED
VICTUALLERS' FRIENDLY
AND PROTECTION SOCIETY.

On Wednesday last the annual dinaer iu con-
nection with the above society was held at the
Talbot Hotel; President, the Hon. C. G. Lyt-
telton, M. P., Vice-President, Dr. Campbell.
Upwards of 70 sat down, amongst whom we no-
ticed Messrs. 0. Collis, J. Hughes, E. Stringer,
B. Brooks, B. Wooldridge, H. King, W. Ed-
wards, R. Brooks, C. Evers, W. Jones, T. Cor-
bett, T. Green, D. Skidmore, J. Edwards, E.
Cuml. Ace. Messrs, has-born and Hawthorn
attended as a deputation front Wolverhampton,
and Mr. Harrison, secretary, as a deputation
from Birmingham. The following is the bill of
of fare :—Cod Ii iii, stewed Ms: haunch of veni-
son, boiled chickens, roast decks, boiled round
of beef, boiled ham, sucking pigs, roast beef ;
oastry, dessert, wines.

Dinner being over, the Chairman rose and
said that he had received several letters of apo-
logy. Amongst the names were R P. Amphlett,
Mr. U Perry, Captain Walker, Mr. C. Collis,
Mr. P. Price, Mr. Miller, Mr Jordan, and others;
after which the Chairman said the first toast wee
"The Queen "--(cheers). When we look on the
other side of the Channel, and see the devasta-
tion going on there, he thought we had much to
lie thankful for. 'flue Queen, he considered,
was enthroned in the hearts of he subjects, and
he hoped they would continue to be satisfied—
icheersi.
Song, " The Queen."
The Chairman next gave "The Prince and
Princess of Wales, and the rest of the Royal
Family."
Song, "Red, White, and Blue."
' •

The -Chairman then gave " The Bishop of the
Diocese, and the Clergy of all Denominations."
The Vice-President proposed " The Health of
the Lord-Lientenant of the County." In doing
so, he said that Lord Lyttelton was so well
known for his good qualities in this district, and
e.) well respected, that he did not require any
eulogium.— The toast was drunk amid great
cheering.
The next toast, the Vice-President said, was
" The Members of Parliament for the Eastern
Division of the County of Worcester "—(ap-
elause). Their duties had been sery excessive
this Session, and lie would congratulate them on
:)ttending to their duties. It did not often hap-
pen they were both on the same side of the
(eine side of the house, but was glad to say that
huth members were respelled by the Licensed
Vietuallers Society - (applause).
The Chairman, on rising to respond, was re-
ceived amid great cheering, and said lie rose to
thank them on behalf of himself and colleague.
It is true they do not sit on the same side of the
house, hut he hoped it might be said that they
had both been attentive to the legitimate inte-
rests of the Constitution. As there are many
Andes of politicians present, he did not intend
to introduce polities as it was not the time or
place for party warfare. But lie thought there
were some politics he might just touch upon.
Ile alluded to the dreadful war now going on
between the Prussians and the French' and the
part England has taken in it. A good deal has
teen said )(bout England remaining neutral. A
good deal of sympathy has been manifested in
this country for France ; but he thought the
Government had acted quite rigiit itm abstaining
from interference unless backed by arms and
earths. But if we cannot by our physical inter-
ference we limy by our moral interference. It
is quite possible e ngland might do something,
and they are furthering the ends of peace by
negociatiou ; but the Pritssiena tire in the very
heat of battle, and smarting from their wounds,
and it is difficult to negociate. If they would
come in and ask us it might possibly be fulfilled.
But he would now turn to the subject more in-
teresting to the licensed victuallers. During the
recent Sessions he did not think that their inte-
rests had been affected, but by a bill passed two
Sessions ago they had been niaterlally affected,
and the restrictions of the beerhouses has had
a good effect- (applause). But the (mount of
iatox'cation in this country was sufficient to
justify the most revolutionary ideas in the
minds of the legislature ; but he hoped they
should not be to moth curried away by these
Welts, and legislate in a panic. He hoped the
hill the Government would introduce on the
licensing system would recognise the claims of
justice to existing interests—(cheers). People
appeared too him too often to forget that li-
censed victuallers were men who had invested
their property in a perfectly legitimate enter-
prise, and who were under a tacit agreement
with the state that no harm should be done to
their interests and property, so long as they be-
haved themselves well (applause). It hat
never been said, that he knew of, that the
licensed victuallers had been unmindful of their
part of their part of the contract. Yet they
) aw bills like that of Sir Wilfred Lawson intro.
.!aced into Parliament, in which there was not
tile slightest mention of compensation. As to
making the Govermuent measure a final one,
They saw the necessity for this from the num-
ber of hills introduced session after session for
restricting the sale of various kinds of liquors,
and fixing the hours at which iuns should be
open, and not trying to puzzle them with all kinds
of definitions of a traveller, but not many of
them were carried, and they only tended to per-
plex licensed victuallers as a body, and did no
good. These two points, to use an American-
ism, he put his foot upon—they must have exist-
ing interests observed, and the Government bill
must be a final one, final at least as anything
coul be, humanly )(peaking. They must be pre-
pared for a tolerably strong measure. He had
ho hesitation in saying he was prepared to vote
f u• any measure to remove the great social curse
of drunkenness from England, so long as it bore
in mind the above considerations. It was for
societies like the present to urge those consid-
erations on the Government, and it was to show
his recognition of their claims that he had ac-
cepted the office of chairman (cheers). He
cencladed by proposing success to the Stour.
bridge Licensed Victuallere. Friendly Protec-
thin society, and long life to its chairman, Mr.
II tiglies-7(clieersi. _

S—ong, "'The Cettage and Water Mill."
Mr. Hughes, in responding, said he was happy
to state that the society commenced about fonr
years ago, and that it was in a very prosperous
condition. When the society was first formed
lie was appointed chairman. No doubt there
wore many more able to fill that position than
himself, but if they were satisfied with him, he
was willing to do what he could for the society
(applause). lie was happy to say that the
i-eeiety was in a prosperous state, and they bad
Ii id several additions to their numbers during
the past year. Ile should like to see a society
like that in every town of the kingdom, for they
served to give a moral tone to the trade, and ex-
tended a beneficial intlnence among them. Such
iv is found to be the effect of the licensed victim-
idlers societies, when they were first established
in London, and he believed they had a favour-
able influence on the country at large (ap.
plause).

Mr. G. Collis proposeil "The Army, Navy,
Yeomanry, and Rifle Volunteers."
_ _ _

Mr. B: Wooldridge responded. In doing so,
ho said he was not a volunteer, thongh he had
I,,en, but lie hail no doubt that if OVer the time
should Conic when they were called out, they
would do their duty --(applause).
Song, "A barrel of good beer."
Dr. Campbell next gave the health of the
Chairman. He was glad to see him present, and
was quite sure the noble Chairman was at all
tinier willing to do what he could for assoeis-
tions like the present.—Drunk with " Three
times three."

Song, "The men of merry England."
The Chairman, in responding, thanked them
for the way ther had drunk his health. They
had done so already as a member of Parliament,
as a volunteer, and as a yeoman, and now 113
chairman of the meeting. He thought they might
beunder so apprehension for his health for the
next year or two --(laughter). He had been
among them now for something like 28 years,
and anything he could do for them he should be
most happy to do, as member for the connty.
It afforded him great satisfact:on and no trouble
to be present that evening. It was one of the
provinces of members of Parliament during the
I.4•VCS4 to attend those khol of meetings, fox by
as doing they learnt the views of their consti•
tnentg, and their constituents :earnt their views.
It was not like being on the platform where they
were made to give pledges right and left. He
e liwie were liott,y wtys of bribery is
elections, not only by giving mousy, but by going