The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-06-26 00:00:00

THE LOCAL OPTION RESOLUTION.

An analysis of the division list shows that Sir
Wilfrid Lawson's motion on Local Option was sup-
ported by one hundred and ninety-nine Liberal mem-
bers, thirteen Conservatives, and seventeen Home-
rulers, while itwas opposed by one-hundred and fifty-
seven Conservatives, thirty-six Liberals, and ten
Home-rulers.

At a meeting of the United Kingdom Alliance, held on
Saturday, the following resolutions were unanimously
adopted:—

"1. That this meeting tenders its hearty and most
grateful thanks to Sir Wilfrid Lawson, Bart., the
mover, and Hugh Mason, Esq., seconder, and to the
whole ot the 231 right hon. and hon. members who
voted in support of the Local Option resolution,
asserting the reasonable principle and policy of en-
abling communities to protect themselves from the in-
justice of having the liquor traffic thrust upon them
against their will.
"2. That this meeting greatly rejoices in the impor-
tant and significant fact that thus early in the first
Session of the newly elected House of Commons Sir
Wilfrid Lawson's Local Option resolution has been
triumphantly carried, thereby indicating that on this
most urgent social question the deep and earnest con-
viction of the constituencies is now faithfully re
-
fleeted in the people's House of Parliament.
"3. That in view of the recent important division
in the House of Commons affirming and adopting Sir
Wilfrid Lawson's Local Option resolution, this meet-
ing respectfully and earnestly calls upon her Majesty's
Government to take the necessary steps to introduce
a measure to give practical effect to the great, just,
and salutary principle embodied in that resolution.
And the friends of citin,,d temperance legislation are
also called upon to relax no single effort to insure and
expedite the triumphq,nt accomplishment of this
urgently needed national reformation.
"4. That this meeting, while regretting that the
order of proceedings under which the discussion was
taken induced the Chancellor of the Exchequer to vote
for the motion for going into Committee of Supply,
on which Sir W. Lawson moved his resolution as an
amendment, heartily rejoices that Mr. Gladstone in
his speech said, 'I earnestly hope that at some not
very distant period it may be found practicable to
deal with the Licensing Laws, and, in dealing with
the Licensing Laws, to include the reasonable and
just measure for which my hon. friend pleads;' and
this meeting of representatives of various districts of
the United Kingdom calls upon the Prime Minister
to take the earliest opportunity of bringing in such a
measure as he significantly indicated."
Copies of these resolutions were sent to the Prime
Minister and the Home Secretary.

In a leader on Sir Wilfrid Lawson's motion, The Times
remarks :—" Sir Wilfrid Lawson is like the hero of some
Eastern tale, or modern Wonderland, who suddenly taps a
great mystery. Men arc everywhere stretching their necks,
and straining their vision, and racking their brains to dis-
cern, if possible, the future of the local community. What
sort of a firmatioa is it that the future Era;lislunan may