The Sun.
London, England, 1857-06-10 00:00:00

SALE OF BEER.

On the motion for the second reading of this bill,
Mr. KER SEYMER moved as an amendment that
the bill be read a second tine this day six mouths. Ile
believed drunkenness was the besetting sin of the work-
ing classes of this country, but he thought it was now
decreasing. The influence of good' xmpleis amongst the
tipper classes, the increased desire on the part of erne.
ployers to promote the moral, religious, and physical
welfare of their servants, the establishment of parks, and
the increase of education, were the causes of this, and it
was no Utopian idea to imagine that these would have a
still further benefic:al effect on the habits of the working
classes. They had seen a great change in the habits of
the upper classes, in respect of drunkenness, and there
was no reason to doubt that a similar changa from the
causes now in operation would take place in the habits
of the lower classes. He condemned the restrictive
principles of this bill, and remarked that no body of
men would think of restricting the Lumber of shops
in any other trades to be opened. Ile stated in
support of his argument relative to the restrictive
character of the licensing system generally, that
during five years 2,343 persons applied for licences in
the Metrops lie, of whom only 493 were successful, and
of these 72 were granted in the Tower Liberties. He
considered there should be some regulations for the trade
but not the reetrictiens proposed by the present mea-
sure. The hon. gentleman referred to the connection
existing between the brewers and publicans relative to
obtaining licenses, on the ground of the former supply-
ing the latter with ale and porter, and also to most of
the publio houses being the property of the brewers, or
mortgaged to them. The licensing system, coupled
with the malt tax, was the great upholder of the brewers'
monopoly. It was absurd to draw distinctions between
beer shops and public houses, because there were bad
in both branches, and it was a notorious fact that a
number of public houses were kept by prize-fighters,
who were a class of men he could never consider as re-
spectable. It was all very well to ta'k about the
morality of publicans and brewers,. but their object was
to sell as much beer as they could. Although
the licence was strict as to adulteration and dilu-

tion, the publicans and beer shop keepers were obliged
to halo recourse to diction for their profits, and Mr.
Hawes, a celebrated brewer, who was examined before
the committee, stated that the retailer had to " pump
the new Ever" for his profits—(a laugh)—in other words,
dilute the beer with water. The present system of li-
censing was bad and required alteration—magistrates
being very often placed in unpleasant positions when
they were asked to grant licenses, and serretimes
charged with partiality. The Beer Act bad been success-
ful, inasmuch as it gave the public the reduction of duty,
nd allowed many persons, such as shell-fish shop
keepers, to supply beer, who did not require
a spirit license as well. He approved of one license in-
stead of two as now in practice, which would give the
beerseller permission to sell beer and spirits, or either,
only as he thought most desirable for the purposes of his
trade. Statistics of drunkenness were very fallacious,
because no two towns had the same regulations for ap-
prehending persons under the influence of drink. In
some towns. the- police had orders to take only
such mien as could not take care of them-selvee,
whilet in others they took ' men who were a
little the worse for liquor. The honourable gentle-
man also referred to the present system stigmatising a
man as not being respectable by a ithh,lding his
license, and at the same time preventing hie rising in
the class to which he belonged. Beer-shops, generally
speaking, he thought were better kept than licensed
houses. He approved of that part of the bi 1 which
referred to coffee-houses that were kept open all night,
and he regretted it had been made a part of tbis
measure. The application of the Tippling Act
to these shops he thought desirable, and he
complained of an omission in the bill relative
to the privileges of Free Vintners, and called attention
to a house now open in Piccadilly under a free vintner's
licence. He called upon the " strong Government "
to take up the question, and not be afraid of the licensed
victuallers, who, it could not be doubted, were a strong
class, and very influential in elections.
Mr. %V. BROWNE supported the amendment, and
explained that his name had been put on the back of the
bbl under a misapprehension. When he first saw the bill
he found it so different to what he f xpected that he wrote
to request the removal of his name from it, but he was
told it was too late, and could not be done. After
reviewing the labours of the committee appointed
two sessions sin
expressed a hope cef of which he was a member, he
that the Government would, next year,
be prepared with a measure founded upon the report
which the committee presented to the house.
Mr. NEWDEGATE did not accede to the doctrine
that, because the Government did not deal with an ac-
knowledged evil, private members attempting to
legislate upon the subject should be considered as inter-
fering with the duties of the executive. He deprecated
too much responsibility being thrown upon the Govern•
ment, as inconsistent with the freedom and independence
of hon. members.
Mr. D. GRIFFITIIS supported the second reading
of the bid

Sir G. GREY said that as a direct appeal had been
made to the Government, he took an early oppor-
tunity of stating the views of the Government
this question, and his views on this bill. T
bon. gentleman who had brought in the bill was not
liable to censure for so doing, but rather praise for caus-
ing the subject to be discussed.
[LEFT BPEARINI•]

_
POLICE INTELLIGENCE.—(Tiiis Day.

EON-STREET.

THE LATE EXTENSIVE FORGERIES,—This morning four
young men named Brooks, Hardy, Scholefield, and
Miles, were placed at the bar charged with forgery.

It will be recollected that the two first-named prisoners
had been placed at the bar on a former occasion, charged
with having, by a false representation, possessed them.
selves of a blink cheque-book of the London and West.
minster Bank, and then forged a considerable number of
cheques, and presented them at different newspaper
offices in payment for the insertion of certain advertise-
ments. The mode pursued was to present an advertise-
ment, the charge for which would be about 55., and in
payment to tender a cheque for 41. or 5/. The prisoner
Brooks bad been in the service of Mr. Barton, the adver-
tising agent of Wellington-street, Covent Garden.
At& previous ex smination the prisoners Brooks and
Hardy made certain statements which led to the appre-
hension of Scholefield and Miles.

Amongst the cases proceeded with to-day was one in
which the Times had been defrauded of 4/. 124.
A number of witnesses clearly proved the forging of
the cheques, and Mr. Barton stated that he never sent
the order in question t 3 the Times.
The depositions having been read over,
Mr. Henry folly committed the whole of the prisoners
for trial.

ENCUMBERED ESTATES COURT.—The sales last week
realised 78,0001. The amount of rental posted for sale
in the month of June is 18,2631. per annum, the acreage
being 83,000.
A FALSE ALARM.—The astronomers have been sweep- .
ing the heavens with their trlircopes in search of the
comet which some German prophet announced
was lo cotne in contact with our globe on the 13th or
14th of the present month. The eccentric wanderer of
the skies has as yet, we believe, been nowhere met with.
The Lord-Lieutenancy of the County of Tipperary,
vacated by the death of Lord Lismore has been con-
ferred upon his son, the present Visceunt.
The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer
Candia has been lengthened 30 feet. She is now nearly
350 feet long. It is singular that now she is lengthened
she draws one foot of water less than she did previous to
her being lengthened. She will be ready for sea about
the latter end of July. The Colombo, another of the
same company's ships, is about to be lengthened.
CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE CITY SEWERS COMMISSION.
—At the meeting of the commission yesterday a letter
was read from Mr. Deputy Peacock, resigning the
chairmanship on account of bodily indisposition.