HC Deb 05 September 1887 vol 320 cc1139-41
SIR WILFRID LAWSON (Cumberland, Cockermouth)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether he is aware that the Workington Licensing Magistrates have intimated their intention of granting a provisional licence next Wednesday to a locality when its issue is most strongly and almost unanimously opposed by the town's people, and by the neighbouring inhabitants and property owners, as well as by most of the Religious Bodies and the Representative Bodies in the town; and, whether, under these circumstances, any steps can be taken by the Home Office to secure respect for the wish of the majority?

THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. STUART-WOBTLEY) (Sheffield, Hallam)

(who replied) said: The Secretary of State understands, from a newspaper account of a meeting of the Justices on the 24th of August, that they had deferred their decision with respect to this licence for a fortnight, not that they had intimated their intention to grant it. The Home Office has no jurisdiction in this matter; and the Secretary of State is unable to interfere with the discretion of Justices in granting or refusing licences. He has, however, sent a copy of the hon. Baronet's Question to the Justices, and invited their observations upon it, and has received, in reply, the following telegram from the clerk to the Justices at Workington, which arrived shortly before I entered the House— A majority of the Justices, after hearing evidence and due consideration, decided to grant the licence. There were petitions against from the School and Burial Boards; but none by Local Boards, or any other Representative Body. There were also petitions from inhabitants, including Temperance Societies and property owners in the immediate neighbourhood, signed altogether, it is estimated, by 700 or 800 townspeople, out of a population of over 20,000. Except the congregation of a neighbouring Baptist chapel, no Religious Body presented a Petition against. Matter adjourned for judgment to meeting to be held on Wednesday next.

SIR WILFRID LAWSON

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that Petitions against the issue of the licence have been signed by 1,200 householders?

MR. STUART-WORTLEY

I cannot say.

Subsequently,

SIR WILFRID LAWSON

said that, arising out of the answer just given by the Under Secretary, he wished, to in quire of the First Lord of the Treasury whether, if a private Member brought in a Bill to suspend the issue by the Excise of new licences authorized during the present Brewster Sessions, pending promised legislation with regard to licences, the Government would refrain from blocking such a Bill?

THE FIRST LORD (Mr. W. H. SMITH) (Strand, Westminster)

said, it must be perfectly obvious to the hon. Baronet that the Government were quite unable to give an affirmative answer to a Question of that kind, and one asked without any Notice whatever. But if the hon. Baronet desired to have an answer, he might say that, at this period of the Session, it would, undoubtedly, be the duty of the Government to oppose such a measure.