HC Deb 05 April 1878 vol 239 cc664-5
SIR ALEXANDER GORDON

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether it be true that the Canadian Government have introduced into the Parliament of the Dominion a Bill for regulating the traffic in liquor very similar to the Permissive Bill of the honourable Member for Carlisle?

SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH,

in reply, said, he understood that a Bill on the subject referred to by the hon. and gallant Baronet had been introduced in the Dominion Parliament, the position of which was so far similar to that of the measure of the hon. Member for Carlisle, that the second reading was fixed for a Wednesday, and that from the remarks made by hon. Members, it appeared exceedingly doubtful whether it would become law. This Bill was referred to as a Permissive Bill; but, from the speech of the Governor General in opening the Session, he (Sir Michael Hicks-Beach) gathered that it was a Bill for making more uniform throughout the country the regulation of the liquor traffic, rather than making it less uniform. He had not received a copy of the Bill, and, therefore, could not lay it upon the Table.