The Sun.
London, England, 1844-08-02 00:00:00

METROPOLITAN NEW PUBLI-
CANS' PROTECTION SOCIETY.

The tenth annual General Meeting of the Metropolitan
New Publicans' Protection Society was held yesterday, at
the White Conduit-house Tavern, Pentonville. The
attendance was extremely numerous, and the greatest
interest appeared to be felt in the proceedings of the day.
The chair was taken about one o'clock by Mr. W.
J. Pen ry.
The CHAIRMAN said it was his duty to inform them
that the Committee had culled them together on that
occasion, to transact the usual general business con-
nected with the Society. Trusting that they would take
the same interest in.the proceedings of the Society 113
they had manifested on former occasions, he would at
once' commence the business of the day by calling on
Mr. Bishop to read the report.
Mr .Bisnor (the Secretary of the Society) then pro-
ceeded to read the report, of which the following is an
abstract :

After referring to the position of the beersellers at
the first opening of the trade, and the opposition against
which they had to contend, the report went on to say
that the past year had proved to what extent the efforts
made in the name of the public against the beerhouse
and the beerseller, were really and indeed the true and
spontaneous act of that public. The monopolist had not
only failed to establish a case against the beersellers
calling for the interference of the Legislature, but in
their over-eagerness they had proved themselves the
subornera and movers of every attempt to injure that
class. The interested opponents of the open trade in
beer had been proved to be the sinister, the vindictive,
and the only enemies which the beerseller and the beer-
house had had arrayed against them. To prove this
assertion, it was only necessary to mention the fact that
so long as their opponents were at work against them,
petitions and similar manifestations were brought forth ;
but when that opposition was proved to be hopeless, its
exertions, tending only to the advancement of the trade,
the• so-called manifestations of public opinion became
" like angels' visits, few and far between." The beer-
sellers and the beerhouse still existed, and what was the
result of the extension of their privilege in the last
three years? Why, that there was much less complaint
either of or from the beerseller, than at any previous
period, and that there being no concoctor or fomentor of
discord, no opposing manifestation exhibited itself either
in or out of Parliament. But few exterior attacks hav-
ing been made during the past year, the immediate at-
tention of the Committee had been directed to the petty
but mischievous efforts of certain overseers, who, by
putting into play the negative power with which the
beer-laws had clothed them, bad raised a destructive
movement, and upon several occasions interposed be-
tween the beerseller and the operation of the Beer Acts.
The Committee had, in many cases, applied the gentle
pressure of the penal part of the Act, and convinced the
refractory functionary that he mistook or misconstrued
the reading of the Act, when he considered that to be a
discretionary power which the Act itself only made a
ministerial one. Attempts had been made in several
parts, in and about London, to restrict the hours
during which the beerhouse was entitled by law
to remain open. In every case, however, the
efforts of the Committee in favour of the
beersellers had been successful. In some districts
the police had supplied the place of the base informer,
and capriciously assumed the invidious task of harrassing
the beersellers of the locality. The beerseller had the
same right as another to have a lodger, a relative, or a
friend in his hous-, but in several instances this had been
tortured into an offence against the laws. In such cases.
the Committee deemed it their duty to step in, in order
to defend the harrassed beerseller in the fair and lawful
exercise of his business. The financial prospects of the
Society were very encouraging. The progress of the
Society had been such as to secure to every widow the
full advantage held out by the rules. In the year 1842,
four widows were assisted from the funds set apart for
that especial purpose. The like, or even a greater
number, would have been equally benefited in the last
year, had there been so many applicants ; as it was, all
who applied were assisted. In the present year, no less
than six bereaved widows would, by right of the claim
left them by their deceased husbands on the funds of the
Society, reap the benefit of the it associating together
for mutual assistance, protection, and support. The report
then referred to an alteration made in the proceedings
of the annual meeting. lie concluded by reminding the
subscribers, that if portents might be credited, a period
was approaching when the beerseller and the beer-
house would be again brought before the public, and
probably under legislative notice, and that it was essen-
tially necessary that every member of the trade should
attach himself to the Society.
From the financial statement, it appeared that there
was a balance in hand of 1921. 17s. Id.

Mr. PEARSALL moved, and Mr. BARNSHAIY seconded,
the adoption of the report.—Carried unanimously.
The. SECRETARY said it would not be necessary to
proceed in a formal way to the election of widows. The
Committee were empowered to devote one-eighth of the
funds to the allowance for widows, and it happened, for-
tunately, that, after the allowance had been made for the
widows who than had claims on the Society, there would
still be a balance in hand.—(Cheers.)
On the motion of Mr. STALWOOD, seconded by Mr.
Coi.vm, the report was adopted unanimously.
The following were then announced as the names of
the persons elected to fill the places of those members of
the Committee who bad retired as required by the regu-
lations of the Society :—Messrs. Monk, Pearsall, Lush,
Knight, Higley, Glass, Matthew, and Bennett.
Mr. PROSSER moved that the last day of May should
be appointed, instead of the last day of July, for re-
ceiving applications from widows.
Mr. KYNNERSLET seconded the resolution, which was
carried.
The CHAIRMAN said the formal business of the meet-
ing, so far as the Committee was concerned, was now
brought to a close, end it would be open to any gentle-
man present to make any remarks or proposal to the
meeting.
Mr. Hamrcrws could not help referring for a moment
to what took place at the last annual meeting. He
could assure the gentlemen present that he was not in-
fluenced by any feeling of disrespect to the Committee,
or any other persons, by the course which he then pur-
sued.—(Hear, hear.) The step which he took was one
which was, he believed, congenial with the feeling of the
trade generally, namely, that the annual meeting of the
Society should take place without any interruption from
strangers.(Hear, hear.) He was very happy to see
the alteration which had now been made. He wished
to see the beersellers conduct their own affairs. Let the
business of the Society be carried out by its members,
nd by them alone, •nd there would be no repetition of
the scene which occurred at the last annual meeting. He
had a motion to propose, before he sat down, with re-
spect to the power of calling annual meetings. He
thought that, at present, there was not sufficient power
given in that respect to the subscribers of the Society;
and he proposed to alter the existing regulation by em-
powering thirty members of the Society, by requisition,
to call a general meeting.
Mr. NIAYTIEW seconded the resolution.

The SECRETARY said he was quite sure that in the
former part of the remarks of Mr. Hawkins the Com-
mittee us well as himself fully concurred. He could not,
however, agree with him as to empowering thirty sub-
scribers to call a general meeting, lest that power should
be exercised in an improper manner, so as to prejudice
their interests. As far as scrutiny went, the Committee
was perfectly willing to meet the subscribers as often as
they pleased ; and indeed the subscribers already had
the power of being present at all the Committee meet-
ings. Having made these remarks, he would leave it to
the discretion of Mr. Hawkins whether or not he would
persevere with his motion. If the Committee refused to
call a meeting in any case of urgent necessity, the matter
might easily be brought forward at the next annual
meeting. No complaint of that kind had been made up
to the present time.
Mr. LINDsEY opposed the motion. He thought the
subscribers dig not require any more power ; they did
not exercise that which they had already.—(Hear.)
After some further discussion, Mr. Hawkins's proposal
was put from the chair in the following form:—
That in rule 10, after the word subscribers, the follow-
ing words should be inserted:—" Upon receiving a re-
quisition signed by 30 subscribers."
The motion was rejected by a considerable majority.
Votes of thanks were then given to the Chairman,
for his impartial conduct on that occasion, and to the
,Committee for the manner in which they had performed
their duties during the past year,.after which the meet-
ing adjourned.
At the close of the above meeting the subscribers and
friends of the Society proceeded to the large tent, con-
structed in the White Conduit Gardens, where an excel-
lent dinner was served up by the host of the establish-
ment. Mr. Lindsey, the treasurer of the Society, pre-
sided.

After the cloth had been drawn, and the usual loyal
toasts had been gone through,
Mr. KYNNERSLEY proposed " Lord Monteagle, the
Patron of the Beeersellers' Pension Fund, and our other
Parliamentary Friends." In proposing the toast, he ad-
verted to the great service Lord Monteagle had rendered
to them as a body. Their cause had also, he said, been
greatly assisted by Mr. Warburton, Mr. Aglionby, and
other Members of the House of Commons ; and to each
anti all of these gentlemen their gratitude was justly due.
—Drunk with three times three.

The SECRETARY proposed " The Metropolitan New
Publicans' Protection Society." He observed that when
this Society was first established, not more than four or
five staunch friends could be found to rally round it ; but
believing both their principle and end to be right, they
had persevered, and were now rewarded for their exer-
tions. He then adverted to the struggles in which the '
Society had been engaged, and in which it had formed a
nucleus for the trade, enabling them to state their case
in
the most effectual manner. To prove its necessity,
and the advantage which it conferred, ho observed
that, on the principle of consumption, after all its
efforts, there was only a Parliamentary majority of two.
What would have been the result if those efforts had
been wanting ho left the meeting to judge.—(clear.)
If the Society had conferred no other benefit on the
trade than that of relieving them from the visits of the
common informer, and from magisterial influence, it
would have u substantial claim upon their gratitude;
but the provision it made fur widows was another ad-.
vantage, of which all must be sensible. He trusted that
its aid would soon be further extended to old and de-
cayed members of the trade.—(Hear, hear.) On all
these grounds he felt great pleasure in proposing the
toast.—(Cheers.)—Drunk with great enthusiasm.
It was then announced that Mr. Rouse, the proprietor
of the White Conduit Tavern, had put down his name
for 51. to the Pension Fund.
Other toasts were proposed, including a vote of thanks
to the Chairman, and the utmost conviviality prevailed
until the company dispersed.

The cricket match at Lord's between " The Gentlemen'
.and " 'layers" was brought to a dose on. Wednesday. of
fernoon after a content. of three days ;.the " Players" winn-
ing by 38 num.