§ SIR WILFRID LAWSON (Cumberland, Cockermouth)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that Sir William Grantham, in trying a public house case at the Durham Assizes, declared that "the practice of one man holding a number of licences was quite contrary to the spirit of the Licensing Act;" and whether he will propose any legislation by which the letter of the Act may be brought into harmony with its spirit?
§ MR. MATTHEWSI am informed by the learned Judge that the circumstances of a serious assault at a public house in the absence of the publican, who was away at another of his houses in the town, led him to make the observation quoted. I am not prepared to propose legislation in the direction indicated by the hon. Baronet. It is a matter which may well be left to the discretion of the Justices, who are acquainted with local circumstances, and in many districts do make it a rule that the publican shall reside on the premises, and therefore cannot be licensed in respect of more than one house.