The Sun.
London, England, 1862-12-25 00:00:00

ing to check evil are entitled to every consideration and re-
spect, and to eve' y legitimate assistance that Government
and Parliament can give them. The only question really
is, what is practicable ? I should say of the scheme you
propose that the probability is it would not be effectual,
even if Parliament should sanction it ; but that is a matter
of opinion, and you are entitled to form an opinion as well
as myself. •
Mr. BACKHOUSE urged that the trade in drink was an
exceptional trade.
Sir G. GREY—That is quite clear ; it is treated as an ex-
ceptional trade by Parliament.
Mr. RAPER remarked that the7possibility of a veto being
exercised would have a salutary effect. Speaking of the re-
commendations of Mr. Villiers' committee, the Alliance
executive said that the proposal of licence by mere payment
to the Excise would lose its terrors if the countercheck of
locally exercised public opinion were secured,because houses
would not be misconducted when indignation could make
itself felt by the entire destruction of publichouse property
within a district. In Manchester the Watch Committee
considered themselves fairly beaten by the beerhouses.

Mr. Councillor THOMPSON said that was the case. Police-
men were tampered with and convictions could not be ob-
tained. The ward of St. John's, containing some of the
worst neighbourhoods in the town, had been fairly can-
vassed on the veto principre ; and the householders were ten
to one in favour of its adoption.
Mr. COTTERELL said a churchwarden had told him of one
public-house that was producing nine paupers annually.
speaking as a land agent, he said it was now a common
occurrence on the sale of land for building purposes to stipu •
late that:no publichouse should be:erected or opened upon it;
and he had not heard that any inconvenience had resulted.
Sir G. GREY remarked that under the present system the
magistrates were not precluded from giving due weight to
the wishes of the ratepayers.
Mr. RAPER replied that it was difficult, if not impossible,
to induce them to give effect to those wishes, and that the
magistrates had no power over the beer-houses. At Saltaire,
near Bradford, the property of Mr. Titus Salt, where there
was a population of 3,000, there was not a licensed house ;
and Mr. Baxley, M.P., in laying out an estate near Bolton,
had taken care that the nearest publichouse r hould be a
mile away from his tenants.
Sir G. GREY—If your scheme were carried out in Brad-
ford, and there were no publichouses or beerhouses there,
then an inhabitant of 6altaire, who now sends three miles
or one mile for drink, would not be able to get it, and thus
thus the inhabitants of Saltaire would be excluded from a
legitimate enjoyment without having a voice in the decision
that was arrived at.

Mr. RAPER replied that their present deprivation was
more unsatisfactory than one could be in which they had a

voice.

Sir G. GREY said he was much obliged to the deputation
for the expression of their opinions, and the statement of the
object they had in view.
The deputation thanked Sir George Grey for the patience
with which he had listened to them, and then withdrew.