§ MR. BRUNNER (Cheshire, Northwich)I beg to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether Magistrates have any power to refuse a certificate to an applicant for a licence from the Board of Inland Revenue, provided that evidence as to character is satisfactory, on the ground that the licence is not required 1585 to supply the wants of the neighbourhood; and if they have no such power. and the Board of Inland Revenue have no power to refuse a licence to anyone holding a Magisterial Certificate, whether any control over this method of increasing the facilities for obtaining intoxicating liquors is vested in any other authority; and, if not, whether he can encourage the hope that the Government will, nest Session, promote legislation with the object of giving control to some authority?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. GOSCHEN,) St. George's, Hanover SquareThe first part of the hon. Member's question raises a legal point upon which I would not presume to give a reply; indeed the matter is not one which properly belongs to my Department. In answer to the second part of the question I may say that it is for the Government as a whole, and not for the Chancellor of the Exchequer, to decide upon legislation of such importance; but, so far as concerns my own opinion, I am not particularly encouraged by the reception of the attempt which we made last year in the direction of providing means for diminishing the number of public houses to make further experiments towards the same end.