The Express.
London, England, 1867-01-30 00:00:00

THE LICENSINB SYSTEM.

After our report left yesterday,
Colonel SULFA moved the next resolution—" That the
power of granting liCelne• for the sale of intoxic-ting
liquors to be drunk on the premises be exclusively vested
in stipendiary magistrates appointed by the crown, who
shall hold pwriodurasessions for the purpose on the plan of
the courts held by revising barristers."
Mr. HUGH OWEN seconded.

An adjournment here took place of half an hoar for re-
freshment. On re-assembling,
The Rev. DAWSON St ass read a paper timing the history
of the licensing system.
The CitAlftY.ll4 said the remainder of the di.cassion
during the afternoon would be on the desirability of there
being only one uniform licensing power.
The discussion then assumed the fore of a converaction,
in the course of which Mr. Tewlan, a Middlesex magistrate,
deplored the state of the law which enabled persons to
open beer-housed without the necessity of obtaining a
license from the magistrates. Other speakers drew a com-
parison between the comparative evil, of public-houses and
beer-houses, some awarding the bad pre-emineece to one
and some to the other, and mime maintaining that it was
more easy to control the keepers of public-houses thin the
keepers of beer-houses, while others again maintained the
exact contrary. All the speakers, however, agreed in the
desirability of there being but one uniform licensing power.
Eventually • resolution, forming part of the second rem.
lution, " That it is expedient that there should be but one
uniform licensing power," was unanimoi.sly agreed to.
The meeting was then, at 4 o'clock, adjourned till seven,
a vote of thanks to the chairman being previously moved
by the Rev. Ti son Marsh, and seconded by the Rev.
Mr. Rook, and carried by acclamation.
The conference re-assembled at seven o'clock in the
evening, when the chair was taken 17 Mr. Hugh Owen,
and the discussion was resumed, the immediate question
being "should the power of licensing if not ve,ted in
the local magistracy be vested in stipendiary =ogle-
trates." . .

After some conversation the discussion was adjourned
until to-day.
In the course of the day Mr. SULLY stated that it was
proposed to continue the discussion at another meeting,
to be held a fortnight hence, when many gentlemen would
be present who were not able to attend the present
meeting.
A rote of thanks to Mr. Hugh Owen for his conduct in
the chair was then agreed to, and the meeting then ad-
journed at half-past 10 o'clock.

The Irish papers report that Lord Derby, at an
interview with the moderator of the General Assembly,
said he " had no hesitation in stating that the adoption
of Mr. Fortescues proposal (with respect to the Irish
model schools) would be the destruction of united edu-
cation, but he was not prepared to say what course the
cabinet would take in the matfel:"

---
Tee LAW As re TRADEs. UNIoNs.—A conference
of delegates from the undermentioned trade societies as-
sembled at the °See of Amalgamated Society of Dick.
neers, Stamford-street, yesterday, having been specially
deputed by their respective bodies to consider the effects of
the recent decision of the Queen's Eench on the 44th
section of the Friendly Societies Act with regard to
the Trades' Unions of the United Kingdom. The
following were present by special invitation : Mr. T.
Hughes. M.P. ; Mr. W. Allan, general secretary. Mr.
R. Danter, chairman, and Mr. D. Henderson, of the Colin.
cil of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers ; Mr. It. Ali-
plegarth, general secretary, Mr. T. W. Hughes, chair-
MAU, and. Mr. J. D. Prior, of the Council of
the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners;
Mr. D. Guile, general secretary, Mr. .1. Hemley, chair-
man, and Mr.,
T. Powell, of the Council of the Iron-
founders' Society ; Mr. G. Odger secretary of the London
Trades' Council ; and Mr. E. Coulson, general secretary of
the Operative Bricklayers' Society. Mr. W. Allan having
been appointed chairman, and Mr. H. Applegarth secre-
tary to the conference, a long discussion ensued, in which
• unanimous opinion was expressed that trades' unions
as at present constituted, paying vast sums of money for
truly laudable purposes, and having no objects that were
opposed to the law, ought to have the same protection as
friendly and other societies, and that no means ought to
be left untried to secure for the trades' unions of this
country • special act of parliament for their special pro-
tection. The following resolution was agreed to :—" That
a deputation, onssirting of Messrs. Allan, Applegarth,
Guile, Odger, and COOllOl3. be appointed to wait on the
Home Secretary to call his attention to the meet de-
cision, and urge for the enactment of • law for the protec-
tion to which we feel convinced our societies are entitled."
Mr. Applegarth was instructed to communicate with the
Home and request him to grant the deputation
an early