§ MR. T. M. HEALYI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he will inquire what foundation there is for the suggestion that the refusal of the Lurgan Bench of Magistrates to renew the licence of Mr. Patrick Blayney, after 70 years' uninterrupted user, was grounded on the "unsuitability of the premises;" did the police oppose the application; whether he is aware that the house is one of the largest and most re-pectable in Lurgan, situated in the centre of the town, being three storey, slated premises, with a frontage of 30 feet, a capacious rear and yard, stabling for 30 horses, and an acre of ground attached, all held in fee-simple; and if these facts are substantially accurate, do the Government intend to persist with the Licensing Clauses of the Local Taxation (Customs and Excise) Duties Bill, which would prevent for ever the possibility of Mr. Blayney's licence being renewed because, by a majority of one, a Bench exclusively Protestant held them "unsuitable"?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI am informed that the foundation for the statement as to the ground upon which the Magistrates refused the application for a transfer of the licence in question is the fact that that ground was publicly announced in Court. The police did give notice to oppose the transfer on the same ground, but as some structural alterations were subsequently made they left the question as to the sufficiency of these alterations to the Magistrates. The house is not one of the largest and 86 most respectable in Lurgan. It is represented to be a small, low, three storey house. It has not a frontage of 30 feet. Its total frontage including the doorway is only 13 feet. There is an adjoining open gateway into which an objectionable side-door opens. The open gateway and yard at rear are common to all the tenants. It had not stabling for 30 horses. On the contrary, it had no stabling accommodation available heretofore, but stabling, it is stated, has now been provided to a small extent. The ground referred to as being attached consists of an open unfenced potato garden situated at a considerable distance from the house, and approached by a mere right of way. The statements in the question, therefore, do not appear to be substantially accurate.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYDo the Government intend to go on with legislation at present, which will have the effect of preventing a man who has been improperly deprived of his licence from ever obtaining a chance of a renewal?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURAs that is a question which relates to the construction of the Bill, I think it ought to be put to my right hon. Friend the First Lord of the Treasury.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYThe opposition of the hon. Member for South Tyrone (Mr. T. W. Russell) has practically compelled me to withdraw my Bill, and if the Government persist in their licensing proposals in reference to Ireland without affording an opportunity for renewal to a man who has been deprived of a licence upon special grounds, I shall certainly oppose them as strenuously as I can.