The Sun.
London, England, 1871-02-04 00:00:00

THE LICENSING SYSTEM IN IRELAND.

On Wednesday evening the Marquis of Hartington,
Chief Secretary for Ireland, received a deputation from
the council of the Irish Permissive Bill Association in
reference to the liquor traffic and the licensing system in
Ireland. It was introduced by Mr. Thomas M'Clure,
M.P., Belfast; and amongst those present were Messrs
R. Peel Dawson, M.P., Derry ; William Johnstone,
M.P., Belfast ; Sir John Barrington, D.L.; James
Haughton, J. P.; Thomas Henry Webb, Dublin ;
William Malcomson, Portlaw ; J. N. Richardson, Bess-
brook ; Thomas Webb, Henry Wigham and others. Mr.
George Foley stated the objects of the deputation, and
after several gentlemen had spoken in their support, the
Chief Secretary said that he was obliged to them for
the information they had given, and for the kind way
in which, they had answered the questions which
he
thought it right to put to them. He had great
pleasure in admitting or recognising, as his predecessor
on one occasion, he was informed, felt called on to
do, the highly important representative character of
the gentlemen composing the deputation. Of course
they would be quite prepared for him saying that he WO
placed in a position where it was his duty to exercise
an alm-,st exceptional reserve—because, in addition to
the ordinary reserve which would make him hesitate
before saying anything that would pledge or embarrass
his colleagues in the Government,they were aware that
the Government had been, and was at that moments
considering the whole subject of the licensing laws'
and therefore any indiscreet expression which he
might let fall would probably raise expectations more
or less well founded, and might embarrass that membef
of the Government whose duty it would be to lay a
before the House. He was quite willing, however,
admit that the desire—the growing desire that had bee-4
shewn in the growing majorities of the House of Cotranon
which had been alluded to—and the growing desire en the
part of the people to exercise at least some control, not 00
much control as now asked for, in the, matter of
tae
regulation and licensing of public-houses, had 01.1bd;
a very great impression on the Government. it
without in the least anticipating what
scheme would be, he thought he could assure the';
that the expression of that desire had been taken into viia
sideration in the counsels of the Government, and ii°'‘)
received due attention. The bill for England would !lo
doubt be first introduced. He did not know whether tllv
exigencies of public business would allow it to be illt'os
duced quite immediately, but it would be as 500n.,4
possible—probably before he could have an opportu,,
of introducing a measure for Ireland. It did not f 011!...,"
that the two measures—for there must be two measur .
would be identical, and in that respect they in I,irei3
land would have some advantage. They 00.00
have the opportunity of learning what were l,
views of the Government on this question ; they woulcli'io
able to have more time than their friends in Unglai'cre•
consider those views, and he (the Chief Secretary) to
presenting the Government, should, he hoped, be nin.;ara
give assistance and a good deal of information with rec,oo
to the Irish bill, from the expressions of public oplo`ey
which would be elicited no doubt by the English ill to
sure. He did not know that he had anything iner,e
nll
say, except that he could assure the deputation thab_oo
the observations which had been made had been. 0t
ca carefully listened to, and would be as carefully consici
[)y him.

BIHS. vilfAe
On the 2d inst., at 11, StrattoßTn-street, Piccadilly, t1,..e, or
~
Sir Archibald Keppel Macdonald, Bart of a 00'
heir. it. the
On the Ist inst., at 22, Park-square, Regent's-pair't gr.
wife of Arthur Kekewich, barrister-ataw, of a U5l
ter. .
MNRR 141(10'
lAGES. 3
On the Ist inst., at Christ Church, Battersea,
er
f tile
Stanford to Constant Mary, youngest daught °
late William Hewer, of Battersea.
of flu
J" Bt,
On the Ist inst., at St. Andrew's Church, Haw, 33fieet'
Rice, eldest son of James Holroyd, Esq,
Surrey, to Emily, second daughter of Willi
o
am
Esq., of Ham.
DE XTHS. 01
On the 2d inst., '
all at Brighton, Edward A. Wilde, ;'go
College-hill, late of Heath House,_ Twickenlas'
84. Viiiiit°
On the 2d inst., at 130, Westminster-bridge-road,
Collins, Esq., aged 71.
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London : Printed by GIDEON ACLAND 13017;CiAtorn °.:
No. 112, Strand, Printer, and Published bI,POI 0/
THE. SUN Office, No. 112, Strand, in the Precino
Savoy, in the County of Middlesex.
Saturday, February 4, 1871;