§ MR. BIGGARasked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether, having regard to the fact that grocers in Ireland, whose premises are rated under£20, have to pay for licences to sell spirits, beer, and wine, not to be consumed on the premises, in total the sum of£16 4s. 7d. while a publican's licence for premises of the same rateable value can be obtained for the sum of£8, he will provide in the forthcoming Budget Bill a scale of Duties for the first mentioned licences, same as set forth in section forty-three, sub-sections one, 550 two, and seven, of "The Revenue Act, 1880?"
THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. GLADSTONE), in reply, said, that these licences, as the House knew, were a class peculiar to Ireland, and the reduction to which the hon. Member pointed was a reduction to which the Treasury would have no objection on account of revenue. The spirit grocers were not placed under the jurisdiction of the magistrates in the same way as the publicans, and on that account, as a matter of magisterial authority, it would not be a matter with which he could deal.