Star.
London, England, 1822-05-11 00:00:00

SEER TRADE.

Colonel PAT.MER presented a Petition from the Licensed
Victuallers of Bath and its vicinity, against the present mode of
granting Licenses to Public-houses. The Petitioners stated that,
in consequence of the partiality of Magistrates, all the public-
houses were in the hands of the brewers, who sold the beet at
their ewn prices, to the great prejudice of the Public. That
whilst the Public were thus losers, the brewers had 200 per
cent. on th.ir capital. The Hon. Member concluded by saying
that he concurred with the Petitioners as to the abuses of the
system, and he declared himself ready to join in any measure
which would give them relief.
Mr. DICKENS( , upon this Petition, defended the con-
duct of the Licensing Magistrates of that division of the county
of Somerset, in which he was most familiarly acquainted.
Mr. BROUGHAM said, he bad no doubt that in some cases
the Magistrates acted on the most pure principles, but he was
still convinced there were many cases in which they pursued a
very different course. They had a power which they ought not
to possess, as it was of a most arbitrary nature. Suppose a man
should offend his brewer, a Licensing Magistrate, by voting at
' an Election, or expressing any political opinion, he might int-
mediately be deprived of his license? The brewers also, fur
want of a fair competition, were able to force the most noxious
compositions on the Public, under the name of beer.
Sir li. K N ATC II BULL did not deny the Licensing System
wanted revision • but be could not agree in the censure thrown
by the lion. and Learned Member on the Magistrates.
Mr. B ROU G HA M, in explanation, said, he had not intended
indiscriminate censure of Magistrates, far from it. Ile must,
however, declare himself a decided opponent of Clerical Ma-
gistrates. The appointing Clergymen Magistrates, was, in his
opinion, a most impolitic system.
Mr. Alderman C. SMITH wished to see the system revised,;
the abuses at present practised on the Public, by forcing upon
them bad beer, were most abominable. Ile had, himself, the
other day, been charge?, twopence fur a glass of the most infa-
mous mixture he had ever tasted.
After a few words from Mr. N. CALM; the Petition was
receiv2d.

.AGRICI:I.TURAL DISTRESS.

Mr. CU RTEIS presented a Petition from the Hop-planters
of Sussex, complaining of the high duties laid upon that article.
The Honourable Member said, that though it was foreign to
this subject, yet he could not help saying a word or two upon
the distress which prevailed generally throughout the county
which be bad the honour to represent. He then referred to two
letters he had received from that county, in which it was stated
thgt in one parish there were thirty farms thrown into the land-
lords hands • and that so exasperated were the people by the
pressure of the Poor-rates, that the Select Vestry wbuld not go to
the church through fear of being stoned : that in another parish,
where all the inhabitants were but t..vo thousand, that one thou-
sand were chargeable. He also stated, that the tithes were
equally oppressive there as in Ireland. From another docu-
ment the Honourable Member stated," that the peasantry were
taking measures to leave the country, that the Gentry were obliged
to leave their mansions, and that, if it were not a solecism in
language, the landlords were absolutely paying rent to the tenants
to engage them to keep their farms !"—(llear hear.)
Sir EDWARD K NATCHBULL, in seconding the Petition,
regretted that the description which the Honourable Member
bad given of the county of Sussex was equally applicable to the
county of Kent. The distress in those parts with which he (Sir
Edward) was conversant was almost equally great. The pres-
sure was principally felt from the Poor-rates. There was a
plan which it appeared to him would afford some relief in this
particular, and with the leave of the House he would mention
it. By the Select Vestry Bill, certain parishes were allowed to
buy up parcels of ground, not exceeding twenty acres, for the
maletenanie of the poor. Now it appeared to him, that if this
=w were extended to pieces of ground from one to two bun-
eer's, there would be thereby a means for employing the
peer, who would be otherwise idle. He hoped something of
this nature would be adopted, and that soon, or else this country
would perhaps, ere long, regret that it did sooner turn its
attention to the subject.
Sir JOHN SHELLY said, that unless some immediate re-
' lief was given, the people would be Obliged to leave the country.
Whatever might be said that a reduction of taxation would give
no relief, he (Sir John) was persuaded that reducing the taxes
was the only way of giving relief. -(Hear, hear)...-Por what
could be more reasonable, than that if you reduce the price of
every ardcle by reducing the tun, you then Imes ate burdens