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

THE CONFERENCE ON THE LICENSING

SYStEM.-(THIS DAY.)

The conference re-assembled in the lower hall,
Exeter-hall, this morning. In the continued absence of
the Earl of Shaftesbury, Lord LICHFIELD was called to the
chair.

The first half hour or more was occupied by the CHAIR-
MAN in a personal explanation of • statement by
him in a fracas between him and Mr. Arthur
yesterday. Mr. Arthur had attributed the evils of
the present system to the local magistracy, and the
chairman stated that this was not true. He now stated
that he did not mean to convey an imputation on Mr.
Arthur, but that inasmuch as the local magistrates
had no effectual supervision over beer-houses, from which
description of house in his opinion the greatest evils arose,
the statement of Mr. Arthur in that sense was not true.
He also complained of an inaccuracy in the report of what
he stated, which appeared in the Tines, with regard to
the Permissive Bill.

The discussion was then resumed by
Dr. GARRETT, who objected to Mr. Steinthall's amend-
ment. He was against taking from the crown the right
of controlling these houses, and vesting it in the rate-
payers ; and he suggested that they should come to a reso-
lution of this character: " That this conference considers
the exercise of power by the ratepayers, either of granting
the license, or in limiting the number and controlling the
nature of any that may be granted, must form a vital part
of any revision of the present system ; and that the dis-
cussion on the second and third resolutions be adjourned
for three weeks."

Mr. JOHN TAYLOR remarked that the conference ought
to look at the Li millions of capital invested in the trade
in intoxicating liquors as an indication of the public
appetite and the great difficulty in dealing with this ques-
tion. It was quite clear that the present administration
fell far short of what the present license law allowed, and
that if the law went carried out a large number of their
present licensed houses would be shut up in a short time.
ICo less than 25,000 persons were annually fined in
London for being drunk. The penalty was se. The
penalty on a publican for serving a drunken person with
liquor was Si., but how many publicans had been fined
The Rev. Dr. RicniatimoN (Roman catholic priest), said
they were all agreed on the necessity of doing what
they could to save the working classes from what
might aptly be termed the gins in which they
were snared. But what they did in this direction
must not be done recklessly. A distinction was made yes-
terday between what were called the wants and the sup-
posed wants of the working man, but he put it to the
meeting that the wants of the working man for relaxation
were not suppositious but real. (No, no.) He put it
to them whether the British workman did not need
relaxation after the toils of the day. (Murmurs.)
The upper classes had their clubs, where they could
have their cigar and their glass of wine, and the
labouring man when he had finished his day's toil
wanted his skittles and his pipe, and, it might be, would
like to have his wholesome glass of beer when he had
finished his work. (Murmurs and cries e " Shame," and
" lie does not want it.") He might want it. At any
rate he wanted a relaxation adapted to his capacity.
There was in the minds of Englishmen a thirst for gain,
and they worked their workmen night and day.
[The Conference was proceeding when our report left.]

- -
SHOCKING CALAMITY NEAR BULL.

THREE PERSONS SUFFOCATED.

Yesterday morning, a shocking occurrence took
place at the village of Sproatley, seven miles from Hull.
About 6 o'clock the domestic servants at Sproatley
Grange Farm, occupied by Mr. Henry Robinson, discovered
that the premises were on fire. The male servants, who
were then in the stable, heard the alarm of fire, and
on rushing outside they saw that their sleeping room in
the north-west corner of the building was in flames. The
foreman, John Jackson, at once got out a ladder, and
reared it against the room in which he knew his master
and mistress slept. On ascending be found the apartment
filled with dense smoke, but he smashed open the window
and called upon the old people to come towards him. At
first the only reply were the groans of the unfortunate
farmer and hie wife, but in about a minute, Mrs. Robinson,
who was rather 'tout, made her appearance at the window.
Jackson tried to pull her out, but owing to her great
weight, and herhelplese condition he could not get her out,
and the smoke began to pour out with such violence that
Jackson was obliged to relinquish his hold. The poor old
lady then fell down on the floor, and Jackson, who was
almost blinded, descended the ladder. Shortly afterwards
Superintendent Wataon, of the East Riding Consta-
bulary, arrived front Sproatley, with several of the
inhabitants of that village, and the attempt to
rescue the old people was renewed. A young
bricklayer, named Thomas Johnson, ascended the
ladder, and be had a rope composed of men's scarves
attached to him in case he should become overpowered.
He entered the room, and after groping about for some time
he found the dead bodies of slr. and Mrs. Robinson and
their youngest daughter Clara, who it was supposed was
safe. She had, with her elder sister, got out of the
burning building, but had, it appears, returned to try and
save her father and mother, and there lost her own life.
None of the bodies were burnt, with the exception of
Miss Clara, who was slightly scorched on her right cheek.
Mr. Robinson, who was 78 years of age, appeared to
have been dressing when overpowered by the smoke.
The wife had on her night-dress, her stockings, and
one of her boots, and Mist Clara had most of her
clothes on. A melancholy interest attaches to the death
of this young lady, as she had been for some time actively
preparing for her marriage with Mr. Andrews, a druggist,
residing at York. The wedding was to have taken place
in about a fortnight. The farm, which is the property of
Sir Clifford Constable, was about 400 acres in extent, and
the how-c in which the fire originated was a very old-
fashioned building. Mr. Robinson had occupied it for
about 50 years, and was about to retire at Lady-day. The
furniture was nearly all saved, and none of the cattle or
feral buildings were injured.

No Hosx.—A curious scene occurred the other
night at the Chitelet, Paris. A gentleman named tlerviere
was amongst the audience, and supposed tooceupy box No.
18. About 9 o'clock a messenger arrived at the stage en-
trance and informed the controller-in-chief that he had
been sent to apprise M. Berviere, who he said would be
found in the part of the theatre just mentioned, that his
house was on fire, and that his attendance was required
immediately. No such penon, however, was to be found
in box 18, and the stage authorities determined to an-
nounce the fact of the fire publicly from the stage,
and called out M. Serviere by name, adding that
he was requested to burry home. At this an-
nouncement the audience bunt out laughing, and
N. Berviere himself, who was in the slips,
joined in the hilarity, regarding the intelligence
merely as a practical joke, played upon him by some
friend who knew he was at the theatre. In the meantime
the actor who made known the news, observing that the
audience regarded the matter in the same light as the
person immediately concerned, assured them in the most
solemn manner that there was really nothing to laugh at,
that the affair was very serious, and the gentleman's house
was actually on fire. Upon this the risible faculties of
the spectators were again strongly excited. After this
interruption the performances proceeded. The gentleman
in question. on returning home at midnight, found to his
regret that there was no ',hone in the earnest assurances
and repeated calls for him, which had excited so much
merriment, his house being then in dames in every part.