The Express.
London, England, 1855-04-25 00:00:00

SUNDAY CLOSING OF PUBLIC HOUSES.

Yesterdly, in pursuance of the resolution come to
by the meeting of the delegates of the United Towns Asso-
ciation, as reported in the Express of yesterd,y, a depu-
tation waited upon Mr. Berkeley, M.P. for Bristol, and
other members of the House of Commons, to confer as to the
best count, to be pursued by the trade with reference to the
total repeal or modification of the Sunday Beer Bill. The
deputation met the members in the lobby of the House of
Commons, and consulted with them for a coesiderable time.
They urged upon the various members the absolute neces-
sity, in the interest of the licensed victuallers, of a total re-
peal of the prest nt obnosious act.
Mr. BIKKELEY said that, taking into coneideratien the
representations which had been already made to him, is
eoujunction with the fact that the act had not been in ope-
ration a twelvemonth, he felt that the decision he had cone
to, to move for a select committee, was the best course that
mold be adopted.
Mr. MENTZ, M.P., expressed himself decidedly opposed
to the principles of the act, which operated oppuisiv,ly on
the public.
Mr. SPOONIIII, M.P., while he could not support a motion
for the total repeal of an act which had not been in torte
twelve months, would not object to support a motion for •
modification of it.
A long desultory conversation ensued, after which
Mr. BERKELEY imbibed the delegates to confer among
themselves and to consider well which course would be
most bent ficial for them to pursue. He would poet pone for
a week his motion for • select committee; in the meantime
it would be to the interest of the trade to hold meetings and
confer generally upon the most advisable course to pursue,
whether they would determine to petition ler • total
repeal or a modification, or whether they would agree to
the course suggested, to move for a select committee to
inquire into the working of the act.
This course was readiiy acceded to.
The deputation then aijourned to Painter's Hotel,
Bridge-street, where they were met by the delegates from
the various provincial towns.
Mr. BUNTON, of Birmingham, having been voted to the
chair, stated the result of the interview with Mr. Betkeley
and the other members of the House of Commons, and after
recapitulating his view (as reported yesterday) upon the
advisability of petitioning for the entire repeal, or modifica-
tion, of the act concluded by moving a resolution express-
ing the opinion of the meeting, that it is ant advisable to
ask for a select committee to inquire into the working of the
Sunday Closing Act, which was one that interfered with
the rights and liberties of Englishmen, and ought there-
fore to be repealed as speedily se poesible.
Mr. BOWLEY, of Nottingham, seconded the motion, wi ich
was supported by Mr. Lewis, of Hull, and several other
delegates from various parts of the country; after which,
Mr. Gams moved, and Me. WILLS seconded, the fol-
lowing amendment:—" That this meeting is of opinion that
the beet coarse to be adopted to get a repeal of the Bier
Bill, taking all circumstances into consideration, will be to
support Mr. Berkeley in his motion for a committee on the
question."
Mr. Lawn, of Hull, trusted that the meeting would not
entertain such • proposition as that put forth by Mr. Grimes.
The licensed victuallers of the important locality which he
(Mr. Lewis) represented were agreed ti go for a repeal of an
act which ought never to have passed. He was prepared
with petitions numerously signed, and he was happy to say
that their two excellent members Mr. Dlgby Seymour and
Mr. Watson were both prepared to support them. (Hear.)
The CHAIRMAN said that the best proof of the feeling of
the country upon the question would be found in the fact
that already the signatures to petitions against the measure
numbered NO,OOO. (Hear, hear.) Thep wen not forced
or manufactured petitions, bore the bona fills signatures
of adult males, each name having affixed to it the trade end
address of the subscriber. (Hear, hear.)
After some further observations the amendment was out
and lost, and the original motion was carried by • large

iilitarza wished to ask if the Protection Society were
prepared to 00-operate in this resolution, or if any one could
state how many petitions were prepared by them in favour
of it.
Dlr. WINTERBOTTOIII felt bound to say that the Society
alluded to had no petitions prepared at all, and ha could not
inflation Win' by

alluded to sae as , ----- - „_
help ezpreesing his surprise at such a question being ;At by
a gentleman who was folly cognisant of the fact.
The unanimous thanks of the meeting were awarded to
Mr. Painter for his kindness in placing Os.
_lSlMltwditrus room
inea,
at the disposal of the delegates. A ,Wlllni voider' thanka
was given to lir. Stinton, the ciAppaant • "lash&
agreed to adjourn the meeting, enA 4Mte, . irof
Me sent assembly to be given by WlVer - ..•••
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A DERELICT VESSEL.— . - .'' ~. .1,,, " • ••0
• ,-# •-a ':-* • ' ' #
laden with mahogany, supposed .'. , lo ji • •
London, was fallen in with on t • • `tea iv
toe. 68 W., abandoned, with to gem'
...: vs
. .
the cep, and bulwarks and raiWg „,(' , -' eh
shaken, and her decks blown up in ' • ''r, b the .
Kilbourne, Caroline, arrived in Mount's Bay ,whleb boarded
her and took front her some rigging. It is supposed the
Kew were sense tine la the taps, as Uwe were mama tests
Mud est gesseteliie Se be tveied•
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All
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