The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-06-20 00:00:00

THE PERMISSIVE BILL.

In the HOUSE OF COMMoNs, Attie 17. Sir W. Lawson having
moved the second reading of the Permissive Prohibitory
Liquor
Mr. Wheelhouse rose to move, as an amendment. that It
be read a second time this day three mouths, and took
..ucession to deny that he haul any personal feeling in
the matter. Out he argued that were the bon, baronet
to carry out his views the logical conclusion would
be that the drinking of intoxicating liquors of all kinds
would be prohibited throughout the country for
certain classes. But this was not all ; not only
would they slue up public-houses, let they would close the
breweries mill distilleries, and lead to the importation of
beer and spirits. The 101 l would prevent the poor man from
having his glass of beer unless lie could keep w cellar of his
own, lie knew there were gentlemen who thought they could
make men sober by Act of Parliament, and he deprecated the
feeling that appeared to have grown up during the last thirty
or forty years - a semi-desire to rule everybody, ands wish for
everybody to act as if everybody else wanted some sort of
legislation. No one, he considered, believed snore thoroughly
in the usefulness of his measure than the hon. member for
Carlisle, but let the House consider the consequences if this
bill were pasisal to-morrow. Ile and his (nee would not
be interfered with so long as they could get their wine into
their cellars, and by no possible prohibition could they be pre-
vented from consuming it. Look, on the contrary, to the dif-
ference in position of classes that were sometimes stated to
Inc 'ahoy their own ; they would Inc unable to obtain liquors
event hi case of necessity ; and was it right to legislate upon
such is principle 1 Adnattiug that there was an increase in the
consumption of liquors, the Wage class in the north of
England was becoming more sober every day. Men were
becoming more alive to the fact that in giving way to
drink they were sacrificing position and prospects, Ruud would
be passed in the race of life by others, Therefore, when he
had been told t.mt Inure spirits were consumed he remem-
bered that there were greater facilities for olotaining drink
than there haul been some years ago he means of grocers'
licenses, and if there were more drinking, it was certainly
wroug to attribute it to the licensed victualler and the
beer-seller. There was no greater enemy to himself than
a licensed victualler who encouraged drinking,, for he
drove away respectable customers. If a man chose to
have reasonable refreshment, whether it were beef, bread,
Incur, or wine, it was nonsense to say that he should not;
when, he broke the law punish him, but do not punish him
for what others had done. Proceeding to discuss more
minutely the provisions of the bill, the hon. gentleman
hi-Sited out the large amount of propert that would be
utterly destroyed by the clause empowering the ratepayers
to shut up public-houses by a vote of two-thirds of their
number, and urging that the measure was ccessary, un-
just me unworkable, and he trusted the Mouse would reject
it.

Mr. Goldsmid seconded the amendment, and though
giving Sir Wilfred Lawson all credit for his good intentions,
pointed out what he considered were the defects of the
mc.asure, and his reason for asking the 11011443 to reject it.
After remarks from Mr. scull/Reid. Or. Cameron, Mr.
Mills, mid Mr. Roebuck,

Sir Wilfred Lawson proceeded to answer the various argu-
ments which had been adduced. To show the extent to
which drinking was carried on, lie stated that every nein,
woman, and child in this country spent upon the average
four pounds sterling in every year upon intoxicating liquors,
and Basing mentioned other facts to show the aanount of in-
toxicating liquors consumed, he went 0:1 to say that
there 1, ere three schools of thought and action in this
flatter in the country. First of all there were those
who advocated free trail-, which class had very
foe supporters in the House Free trade hail been ail-
matted to be a failure by the Beer Act, and Mr Wheelhouse
by his condemnation of the Wine Act had came over to his
(sir W. Lawson's) side without knowing it. (Hear, and a
laugh ) Tim came the prohibitive party, wit,, considered
that the trade was bad, and ought to he stopped in the
interests of the people ; and lastly, the party who were in
favour of regulating the trade. /le now came to his aniend-
merit nt the licensing system,. and all he asked was that
the people should have a voice an the management of public-
houses as well as the magistrates. Such a course would
relieve tine magistrates from the unpleasant duty of granting
licenses, anal would form the tribal.' from the people Baena-
selves. Last year both sides of the House had contrived to
reject this bill, but lie trusted such a course would not be
taken now. The Conservatives had been placed to power by
the vote of the working men, and were justly proud of it,
and he asked them to trust those working men, and by sup-
porting this bill to Oise them power in their own localities
to protect themselves anti their families in the interests of
public order and the welfare is( the eixantry.
The debate was continued by Mr. Grantham, who opposed
the bill.

-
Mr. Macdonald also opposed the bill on the ground that
It would drive drinking from one place in order to set it up
in another, and though he might have supported a bill to
prevent the drinking of intoxicating thilluts altogether, he
could not support such a measure as the present, which
would, besides, further the practice of private drinking at
home, and thus do much banns
Mr. Sullies i supported the Mt
- - - - - - -

After mane observations from Mr. Davies, who spoke amid
considerable interruption in favour of the bill, and Mr. Tighe,
who opposed the measure,
Mr Cross opposed the bill on behalf of the Government,
and expressed a hope that its rejection would settle the
question, at all events during the duration tif the present
Parliamsnt. De objected strongly to a permissive mill on
the subject : if any bill was required at all, It should be corn.
1111601.3" suit 1144 1/Crllliht.niVe MA he objected still more to
Its prohibitory character. Ile denied the right id one HMI
tO 1111114 U to Allah, What his food or liquor should he ISO
bites is he obeyed the laws of the country, and did not Mend
aminst morality or good order.
The house then divided :—For the second reading, 7.
Agaibst, ; Majority, 220.
Toe bill was therefore lost.