§ Order for Second Reading read.
§ MR. MELDON, in moving that the Bill be now read a second time, said, its object was to carry out in Ireland the provisions of the law with regard to beerhouses which applied to beerhouses in England. He would only mention that as the law stood at present in Ireland any kind of premises might be licensed for beerhouses, and, in point of fact, a large number of beerhouse licences had been granted to single rooms. There were many instances in Dublin where music licences were given to rooms occupied by families of eight, nine, or ten persons, and much of the crime of Dublin was traceable to those places. It was generally admitted that this system was a most monstrous one, and required change. He had attended a deputation to the Chief Secretary for Ireland from the licensed vintners of Dublin, of whom the Bill had the approval, as their trade was credited with drunkenness, much of which proceeded from these houses. He understood that the Chief Secretary for Ireland had expressed his assent to the principle of the Bill, which was that these licences should only be given to premises of a certain valuation. That was the old principle of the English law, which still remained in force. The Bill proposed that premises, to receive a beer licence, 338 must have a rateable value of £10 in places with a population under 10,000 inhabitants, and of £20 if the population was over that limit. Those figures might, of course, be modified in Committee, but as the Bill was really unopposed he hoped it might be allowed to pass.
Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now read a second time."— (Mr. Meldon.)
Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Debate be now adjourned." (Mr. Eustace Smith.)
§ SIR MICHAEL HICKS - BEACHsaid, that so far as the Government was concerned, he should be glad if the House would consent to the second reading of the Bill. It was a small Bill, which affected the single question of the rateable value of the premises licensed as beershops, and, practically, it would apply only to the city of Dublin, there being hardly any such houses in other parts of Ireland. Obviously the provisions of the English law ought to be extended to Ireland in this respect, and he therefore expressed his assent to the Bill on the part of the Government. In Committee some modifications might be introduced into the Bill with advantage, and in particular he thought these houses should be subjected to the inspection of the police.
MR. GOLDSMIDobserved that the Bill was no doubt a good one, but it had been brought forward at a very bad time, since they were unable to discuss it at that hour.
§ MR. O'SULLIVANsupported the Bill. It was in Dublin that those night-houses and beerhouses were kept up, from which, and not from the regular licensed houses, much of the mischief proceeded from which the regular trade suffered. He thought it was a step in the right direction, whatever might be the effect of the unfortunate Bill of yesterday.
Question put, and negatived.
Original Question put, and agreed to.
Bill read a second time, and committed for Monday next.