§ SIR W. LAWSON (Cumberland, Cockermouth)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that lately six licensed victuallers applied to the Paignton. Magistrates for occasional licences to sell intoxicants at the Paignton Hunt Races, and, having failed to obtain licences from the Bench in open Court, subsequently obtained them from Lord Churston acting independently of the Bench; and whether he will consider the expediency of legislating, to prevent Magistrates acting in this isolated manner?
§ MR. MATTHEWSI have seen a newspaper report of this case, from which I gather that the two Justices who composed the Bench could not agree, and the licences accordingly were not granted. The solicitor for the applicants informs me that before leaving the Bench the Chairman said that if the applicants could obtain the signature of another Magistrate, he should raise no objection. The Legislature has recently provided, by 26 & 27 Viet., that the consent of one Justice of the Peace only, instead of two, shall be necessary for these occasional licences, and I do not 1478 think it would be for the public convenience to go back to the former provisions of the law.