Mr. Burrardpresented a Petition from the Vicar, Churchwardens, Overseers, and other Inhabitants of Boldre, praying the Beer Bill might be so amended as to prevent the extension of licenses as at present.
Mr. Humesaid, it was rather a novelty to see a petition presented to the House, for the re-enactment of a monopoly, and such a one, too, as prevailed in the sale of beer. He hoped the House would pay no more attention to such a suggestion than it deserved. If there was a local grievance under the Act, let it be remedied, but not by the re-enactment of that gross monopoly, which had been so fortunately got rid of.
§ Mr. John Woodthought they should receive statements of the kind contained in the petition, with much caution, for he had been informed, on very good authority, that all the Magistrates of the district from which this petition came, were owners of licensed victuallers' houses.
§ Mr. Hunttook the present opportunity of declaring, as he had often before done, that the Act for throwing open the trade in Beer was the greatest good the Legislature had ever bestowed upon the people within his memory, except the repeal of the Salt-tax. Nothing pressed more heavily on the labouring man than the monopoly of the beer trade, and nothing could be a more seasonable relief than its removal.