§ MR. NORRISsaid, he would beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to bring in a Bill during the present Session to alter and amend the Licensing Act, 9 Geo. IV., c. 61, or the Beer Act, 4 & 5 Will. IV., c. 85, so as to place Retailers of Beer under each of these Acts on an equal footing as to the cost of Licences?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERsaid, he understood his hon. Friend to refer to the state of the Law under which beer was sold by persons who sold beer exclusively, and who obtained licences at two different prices. In the one case the licence had been obtained under the Beer Acts at one price; and in the other a licence had been obtained originally for the sale of spirits as well as beer, and the spirit licences being dropped, the beer licence was retained at another price. This state of things appeared to be anomalous, and the Government would be glad to avail themselves of an early opportunity of bringing in a Bill to amend the Law in that respect.