The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-03-21 00:00:00

te stouririb,ge Ofperser.

SATURDAY, MARCH 111. 1889.

THE BALE of LIQUORS ON SUNDAY

BILL.

The people of this country have always been
Jealous, and very properly jealous, of any Go.
veriament interference with religion or with
trade. Mr. Abel Smith's Sale of Liquors on
Sunday Bill proposed to deal with both. What-
ever the preamble, the object of the measure
was always confssed by the better observance
of the Sabbath ; and its interference with trade '
could never have been fairly denied, because, as
the law stood before this measure Was introdneed
public-houses were legally opened from 1 till 3,
and front 5 till 11 p.m. This amount of trading
was legalised under the imprcsoiou that the
opening of these houses was necessary to meet
the wants—some one will say, the depraved
tastes—of the people.
Mr. Abel Smith's liii projeors to reduce the
hours wherein public-houses might be epee, by
four and it half hours ; that is to sty that they
are only to remain open from out: till It ilf-past
2, and from 8 till 10 in the evening. The pro-
position is reasonable enough, and there is every
probability that the House of Commons will ac-
cept it. Any legislature that affects Sunday
trading is sure to be met with a cry of interfer-
ence with religion. Strictly epeaking, Haiti bill
does not do so, for any ututi is looks at the
whole subject front the religious point of view
would desire to prohibit the trallic in intoxicat-
ing liquor during the whole of Sunday. It is
*sly a religious bill so far as it aims at indirect-
ly lessening existing Sabbath desecration by
partially removing the temptations of the pub-
lic-house. It is more a social measure than a
religious one, anti we believe will affect a certain
amount of social reform, just as the present re-
strictions on Sunday trading in iutoxicatiug
drinks have done so. Tina the supporters of
the bill regard it as favourable to morality pri-
warily, and therefore in a subsidiary souse
favourable to religion, is shown by the character
of the efforts that are being made in its support.
For instance, a deputation waited on Mr. Die-
sseli last Saturday to urge that Government
should give its aid to pass the measure. Au ad-
dram was presented to the Premier, signed by 02
mayors, 91 chairmen of benches of magistrates,
and /48 justices of the peace. These gentle-
mien looked at the matter from a social point of
view, and regarded the facilities fur intoxication
In connection with crime. They stated their
belief that the measure was "cafe and good'
for the country, and the Rev. Newman Hall—a
well-known teetotaller, hut a large-hearted and
liberal tnan—says that the promoters do not ask
the Government to support the bill as a religious
but as a social measure. . .

On the other band, the opposition to the bill
was got up by the public-house interest, the
publicans naturally looking at the matter as an
ottempt to curtail their profits. Their chief ar-
gunient was that while the rich man's club was
glowed to be opened, the poor L11:11CS public house
was ordered to be closed. The club is the rich
maii's public-house—it is a co-operative store,
snd is not even subject to the restrictions irn•
posed on the licensed victuallers. Every kind
of fermented liquor, and every kind of solid re-
freshment are to be had thcre, in and out of
Church hours ; and the West End clubs are gen-
orally crowded between three and four by gentle-
men drinking their wines and ales, and smoking
and reading the newspapers. On Wednesday
night the bill was again introduced by Mr. Abel
Smith, and after some discussion the house did
Sot divide, but the bill was read a second time,
Ind wee referred to a select committee with
power to take evidence, where no doubt there
will be considerable alteration in it. Should the
sew bill pass, Mr. Roebuck is to move that the
restrictive provisions be extended to the clubs.
No other plan ie consistent with fairness, and if
our Blomberg are to legislate, they must net
only legislate for the poor, but for themselves
also; fur as the bill now stands it is a direct at.
tack upon the liberties and privileges of the poor
working man.