The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-04-03 00:00:00

WINE LICENSING BILL

Liverpool Licensed Victuallers' Association,
West Derby-road, March 31, 1860. .
TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE W. E. GLADSTONE, 'M.P.,
CHANCELLOR OP, HER MAJESTY'S EXCHEQUER.
SIR,—In moving the second reading of the " Refresh-
ment-houses and Wine Licensee Bill," you are reported
to have referred to a statistical document issued by our
association, which states that, out of 1,526 licensed
public-houses in Liverpool,,l7B are the known resort of
thieves and prostitutes; and this circumstance is brought
forward by yondo show that it is unwise to extend the
system under which spirit licenses are granted, by apply-
ing it to licenses for the sale of wine under the new bill.
Now, sir, we respectfully submit that the fact of there
being 178 houses of the class alluded to does not warrant
the. conclusion. to. which you appear to have strived,
namely—that the- present licensing system is bad; And I
will briefly state the grounds on Which we differ from you.
At this moment there exists in Liverpool what may, be
termed free trade in licenses to an extent unknown in
Any other city or town in England—the number ,of
licensed houses being infinitely more than are required,
or can command a legitimate trade ; and it is. this fact
mainly which accounts .for the large number of improper
houses.
.But, sir, if the. Liverpool magistrates only car-
ried out the law, they have the power of closing every
house of a disreputable character ; and such houses being
contimied to be licensed;.does not prove that the existing
law is bad, but that theie'ls, .on the part of the magis
Crates, maladministration

You'ob9erve, howerer, that under the present system,
what are termed vested iiiterests have sprung up in
public-houses,. and that . such vested interests interfere

with the control of the magistrates and police. Now, it
can be proved tliat u number of liCensed houses, both in
Liverpool aratoildou, where large vested interests have
been involved, have had the licenses withdrawn ; there-
fore, the impediments in the' way ofjustice are very small
indeed. But we contend that, as a general rule,
Where there is a large yested interest in a house,
there is the beet possible gudratitee for its being properly
conducted ; . and we believe that' in ninety-nine cases out
of every hundred, the ill-conducted houses are those
where that interest is the smallest. With reference to
your remark that you could not consent to place the
new wine licenses in the handy of the present magis-
terial body, .let us see if the withdrawal of that power
will:be for the public good. Before the Parliamentary
Coi4mittee of Enquiry of 1854, on the licensing system,
Sir Richd. Mayne says (answer 211), "the control of the
magistrates over a licensed victualler in renewing his
license or refusing the transfer of it, undoubtedly tends
to the good order and good conduct of the house." And
your brother, Mr. Robertson Gladstone, says, in respect
to beer houses :not under such control (No. 1,074), "I
have known, from experience, several prisoners irk gaol
who; after they have been convicted and sentenced, have
told me where all their plans were arranged, and I think
those beer houses are the places,' generally speaking."
A hundred other similar answers might be adduced from
the same source.

-I may add- that'ont of 900 beerhouses, in LiverpoOli
OO are annually summoned, and about 500 fined, and
_ hold good in the :Metropolis,
arid other large towns. With respect to your
stateme4tlidt ." the 'bill gives aueli exceedingly
stringent` power's to the magistrates, that you' do not
think the House ought to confer them without
having its most particular attention called to their nature,"
We' say that every power contained in the penal clauses
is to be found
_in the various acts regulating the sale of
beer; and experience proves that they have been utterly
inoperative in practice, for there is no instance knOwnin
Liverpodl of a Heel's& being withdrawn from abeer-bouse.

. . ,
on tile representations of the inagistiates to the Excise,
however often fined.

Lord Brougham used all your arguments as to sobriety
and adulteration in favour of the passing of the Beer
Bill ; and the state of crime and drunkenness in this

country is frightful evidence of how bitterly it has .dis-
appointed the expectations of its most ardent promoters.
It is not ,the use, but the abuse, of 'Your measure
(which xo peualauactinent will .preven,t),that. will ,pro-
duce similar results.

We would, therefore, earnestly beg that you will con-
sider well the conseqUenceq''
_for must
.require au,
incomprehensible amount of moral courage to pass a
bill, the tendency, of wtrich is a perpetuation and increase
of all the horrors engendered by the Beer Act-4 haq
the honour .to be, sir, (on behalf of4he
,Liverpool.
Licensed Victuallers' Association), your most obedient
huinble strxant, J. F. OugssistAx, Secretary.
PASHIONS FOR