Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-09-01 00:00:00

THE ANNUAL LICENSING DAY.

Yesterday, a special ussions of the Justices of the Peace
:was held for the purpoze cf granting spirit licenses to
rublic houses. The Justices present were—Messrs. S
Holine, Jeffery, Sheil, a. Maxwell, Bolton, Tobin, Lawrence,
Holt, Aikin, T. Rathbene, Turner, Dixon, Benn, Sands,
Chaloner, and Heath.
The list contained the names c f no less than 147 appli-
cants. Most of the buildings were reprAented as corner
establishments.
Before the business Tra'S proceeded with
Mr. Rymer said he appeared there as the solicitor of
the Licensed Victuallers' Association, and he was about
to present a memorial from that association against
the grantic gcf ray further licenses. He would not occupy
their time, but would merely request that the memorial be
read by the court.
Mr. Wjbergh : It has been decided that the Licensed
Victuallers as a body cannot 'ce heard.
Mr. Hole thought that it would be bad taste to adopt
such a. CO arse.
Mr. Belton said that he thought that it would be a very
inconvenient course to adopt. They were a body of men
who wigh e i to keep the monopoly of the trade iu their own
hand, and to prevent any ether persons from competing
with them— (cheers) think that we should not interfere.
Mr. Holme : It is the opinion of the whole bench that
the-memorial should not be received.
The following was the memorial referred to :-
74 the Worthipftil the Mayor and Magistrates of the
Borough of Liverpool.

'The memorial Of the uccletstaned, being Chairman of the
Committee of the Liverpool Licensed Victuallers Assoc!ation
and a ratepayer of the Borough of Liverpool,
Sri wrra,—
That the said committee, as the memorialists herein repre-
senting the aforesaid institution, which has been in existence
for twerity-se7en yeas, follow the steps of th_tir predecessors
anon trra.iy similar occasions to the present, in tilling you:
Worship's attention to the subject of granting a further
number of:icenses f)r public-htuses beyoni those already in

existence.
That.-;four memorialists look back wi h confidence to the
steady and consistent course pursued by the Licensed Victuallers
Associarita upon this sulject—that, notwithstanding the
accusation brought against your memorialists, that in endea.
souring to restrict the number of licenses they are actuated by
parely selfish motives, they have a'sa at all times shown by
nndotoldrd evidence that an increase of licenses beyond the
wonterof the inhabitants is not only injurious to their interests,
bat to the well-being of society, by promotirg undue competi-
tion, and thus lowering the character and general standing of
the licensed victualler, possessing as he does a large amount of
antral power over the least educated members of the com-
munity, and by thus increasing the number of temptations to
intemperance to those less- able to withstand their ielluence.
That, upon repeated occasion, the views upon this subject
held by your memorial :es, have been enforced by the present
learned recorder of this borough ; and, further, that in all the
social statistics, drawn up by misisters of religion or others,
thenumber of drinking-houses in anyparticular neighbouthood
is referred to as an additional proof of its deprasity.
That your mt morialists feel this stigma to be a grievance,
riseeieg the too great numbers of public-houses in any neighbour-
'hood is entirely within the oentrol of the magistrates.
That your memorialists call attention to the fact of so
many public-houses being now closed entirely on the Sabbath
eirening, a feeling prevading the trade to make sacrifices,
-not only for their own -sakes, but for the goad of others—
that in some rases the increase in competition by the granting
more licences, tnay compel some of those who now close their
houses to re open theirs, and your memorialists have reason
to believe that such a step would be taken most reluctantly.
That your memorialists conceive this to be a most fitting
occasion for the restoration of their views upon this important
social question, not only as 'being the annual lie, using session,
but that the Government are pledged through Sir George
ray, to bring forward a legislative measure on tills subject
in the next session of Parliament, as the result of the report
-of the Committee on Publre }louses, the appointment of
which committee being brought about at the instigation of the
,Liverpool Bench of Mtglstrates, and before which committee
'cyour meternialists gave evidence on behalf of this institution,
and which evidence svis acknowledged to be most important.
That your memorialists most respectfully submit that the
-issuingof additional licenses at this juncture would be forestalling
-the Legislature—it-id p-neldnt of the pub icly acknowledged
/act of their being already far mar, licences than is consistent
with the public good.
That your memorialists in conclusion hope your Worships
will take their various arguments into consideration, and
Aleeline granting any additional licenses.—lnd your Memo-
rialists will Mr pray.
Mr. Aspinall then applied to the Bench to decide each
case, after it had been heard, and not en masse, as had
been the ease on former occasions.
Mr Hohne replied, that the subject had been discussed
by the Bench, and it was thought that such a course
would be exceedingly inconvenient, and it had been
decided by a large majority, that, tha same c;urs.; should
be adopted as had been done on former occasions, and he
had never heard any opposition to it.
The Bench then proceeded to hear the applicants in
each case, in the course of which the exact locality of the
premises was pointed out, and memorials from the
inhabitants presented

RITE' RTON WARD.

The following was the list of applicants for the ward :
Daniel Halton, Audley-street; William Gibson, Breck
road ; Wi lism Wilkinson, Breckfield-road North ; William
-Clark, College-street South ; Patrick Birnie, Conway-
st• eel ; Msrth s Lawton, Eastbourne-street ; William
jenion, Franklin-place ; Thomas Brabin, Great Homer-
-street ; Alfred Woollett, G:eave-street ; William Hullin
Jackson, Greenwood-street ; William Pattinson, Gregson-
street ; Enos Kelly, Gregson-street ; Mary Parkinson,
Guildford-street ; William Johns, Napier-street ; William
Williams, Netherfied-road North ; Richard Blundell,
Notherfield-road North ; Samuel Reddish, Plumpton-street ;
Isaac Glover, Plumpton-street; Edward Davies, Portland-
place; Mary Elizabeth Mountio, Radcliffe-street ; Jon-
athan Anders, Roscommon-street; William Wright, St.
Domingo-road ; James Hobill, St. George's-hill, Thomas
Beech, Severs-street ; William Hall, Tarlton-street ; John
Evans, Tarlton-street. After these applicants had all been
heard, the justices retired into a private room to consider
which should be granted and which refused. They were
absent about an hour and a-half, when they returned into
court, and
Mr. Holme said : In the Everton Ward we have decided
upon granting licenses to William Gibson, Martha Lawton,
Richard .Blundell, and James Hobill. The rest are
refused.

Mr. J. R Jeffery then, addressing the Chairman, said,
before they proceeded to call over any more names, he felt
it to be his duty to state his disapproval of the course that
was then going on by the decision of a majority of the
magistrates—(epplanse from the body of the court)—and
he must, respectfully to the Bench, object to it. (Hear,
hear) But he was a young magistrate ; howeve e his
conscience told him that it was wrong that they should
deal with cases, where there was so much property at
stake, in that way. He thought that they should be able
to converse freely and dispassionately on each case as
it arose. If people choose to apply fir licenses to their
property, they were to judge whether it would be to their
advantage or not. He submitted that the Bench had only
to act in accordance with the law, a d as it was of great
interest to them and to the public, he would submit that
they should be present to hear the reason for granting or
refusing such licenses, and that it should be done in the
presence of the gentlemen of the bar, and the press, and in
open court. (Hear, hear.) He had struggled for that in
the other room, but it was opposed ; but he felt that he
should not be doing his duty to his own feelings if
he did not thus openly state what he believed in his con-
science was right. By the Ac of Parliament there were
two reasons to guide the magistrates, which were :
First : Was the house fir which the application was made,
co constructed as to give the necessary accommodation ?
And the second was :—Was the person applying for it
stieh a character as would justify them in granting it ?
He objected to magistrates sitting in judgment on other
matters that did not arise, and he would say that it was
diametrically opposite to the law. He felt that it would
have L:ten a derelec,ion of duty on his part if he had not
stated his opinion, and should gladly withdraw from
taking any further part in proceedings so conducted.
(Cries g "SO, no.")
Mr. Bolton said he was the oldest magistrate in the
court, and....e.e must sly that he considered the appeal that
had been made exceediegly disrespectful to the magis-
trates. Thera were upwards of a hundred and forty
applications made at these sessions for licenses. The
aitnal course had been for the magistrates to appoint
two visiting magistrates who visited the places, and
then they gave in their reports whether it was
desirable or not that the licence should be granted or
refried, and assign their reasons for such an opinion. That
course had acted well, at d he did think it disrespectful to
the bench to hear such observations ; and he would say
• further, and it must be we;_lknown to all who daily attended
the courts of justice, that in that town there was a
lamentable amount of drunezness, and he contended that
e•
granting more licenses was only putting temptation in the
way of the drunkard, and therefere, that no more houses
were wanted, and that the magi grates had used a sound
discretion in refusing them.
Mr. HOLSIE said such discussions [Am the bench were
very inconvenient, a:-el he should therefore not keep it up
by Paying one word in reply, but simply state, as he had
done before, when the application was made in the first
case, that the subject had been discussed in the private
room, and it was decided thee, it would be inconvenient to
revel out of the couxssi thot bad. been adopted on previous

occasions. But it had been decided and they must act
up to it.
Mr. Sheil said that the system was bad. It might be
that he was ignorant on the subject, but he would say that
the whole system was bad, and the more he saw of it, the
more convinced was he that it was bad. He had always
votei against it, au I he supposed he should do so for the
rest of his life.

Mr. Atkin considered what had taken place to be very
indecorous. He had always opposed the system, but had
always, when in the other room endeavoured to create
unity amongst them. The system was bad, but how could
it be remedied ? He thought that the way they did the
business was the best method that could be pursued under
the circumstances, with such an abominable system. He
objected to a majority of the magistrates going into that
court and making speeches, and attempting to thus gain
public approbation. He thought it reflected on those
magistrates. He world no'; say an thing of those magis-
trates, nor would he allow any reflections to be cast on the
general body of the magistrates, who had always done
their best for the general interest of the community.
The business of the court was then proceeded with.

RIRRD %LE WARD.

For this ward there were twelve applicants, namely :
Mary Whittle, Bootle-lan. ; Barnard Doyle, Darby-road
Joseph Holliday. jun., Darby-road ; Samuel Joynson
Dingle-lane; Thomas Ford, Kirlulale-road ; Joseph
Barker, Kirkdale-road; Jane Bond, Vilford street ; Jan.
Thornton, Rake lane; Thomas Edwards, Rake-lane; Jas.
Molloy, Rake-lane ; Thomas Crofton, Regent-road; John
Rothwell, Walton-lane.
While these applientions were under discussion, Mr.
Bremner, on the part of the many legal gentlemen who
appeared far the several applicants, asked the Bench t
allow the reports to which allusion had been made, and
which were made use cf in the private room, to bi read in
open court
Mr. Aikin and several other magistrates expressed it as
their opinion that such a proefelure could not be carried
out, but Mr. Theodore Rathbone stated, that from what
had occurred that day, perhaps some different arrange-
ments might be made at some future time.
The magistrates soon after re ired, and after consulting
together for some time re-entered the court, and said, they
had decided in granting a license to James Molloy, of
Rake-lane, but that all the others were dismissed.

SCOTLAND WARD.
For this ward the following 25 persons applied for
licenses :—Mary Wallace, Athol-street ; Susan Kendrick,
Athol-street ; Thomas Williams, Athol-street ; John
Duggan, Beacon-street ; Mary Clarke, Beacon-street ;
Thomas Jennians, Bevington-hill; William Pool, Boundary-
street; R. H. Bartlett, Boundary-street; Edward Place,
Burlington-street ; Sarah Shaw, Cranmer street ; Henry
Raeburn, Dablin-street ; William Lloyd, Great Homer-
street ; Susan Watson, Great Homer-street ; Patrick
Finegan, Great Howard street ; John Milligan, Great
Howard-street; Cornelius Roberts, Great Howard-street;
John Mutch, Juvenal-street ; Thomas Burroughs, Mould-
street ; Owen Barns, New Hedley-street ; William
Williams, Newsham-street; Robert Frazer, Raymond
street; George Yates, Regent-road; Edward Davies,
Steel-street ; 0 wen Williams, Tatlock-street ; Nathan
Norris, Virgil-street.
These applications having all been discussed, the magis-
trates again retired, and on their return announced that
they had decided upon granting licenses to Mary Wallace.
Richard Henry Bartlett, William Williams, and Edward
Davis.

The court, it being five o'clock, then adjourned until this
day.

SHIPPING IN rELLIGENCE.

LIVERPOOL SEPTEMBER 1.

WIND YESTERDAY, N.N.W.—Light bre ze.
HIGH WATER—Morn. 9 27—Even. 9 51—Height, 11 ft. 6 in.

OFF THE PORT AND INWARD BOUND.

Britannia (barque).

ARRIVED.

Aug. 31. IBetsey and Jessie Cardiff
Startlii Fawn Akyab!Kate
Douro (s.s.)
Fiind(» Pernambuco' Banff Packet Tobermory
Tyrer Valparaiso Lively Porthcawl