§ MR. W. BOWEN ROWLANDS (Cardiganshire)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the fact that a transfer of a licence was granted by the Liverpool Magistrates on the 30th of April last to an applicant who stated that his only interest in the business was the receipt of weekly wages; and whether the possession of such an interest is a sufficient compliance with the statutory provisions which regulate the transfer of licences to warrant the Magistrates acceding to the application; and, if so, whether he would consider the advisability of taking steps to amend the law in that particular?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. MATTHEWS,) Birmingham, E.I am informed by the Justices that, whilst the applicant did inform them that his only interest in the business was the receipt of weekly wages, at the same time they satisfied themselves that he was about to keep the public house as manager for the owner of the premises, that he was the bonâ fide occupier of the premises under the written acceptance of him as such by the owner, and that he was a fit and proper person to hold a licence. The necessary legal conditions were, therefore, in the opinion of the Bench, fulfilled. I am advised that this opinion was well founded, and I am not prepared to propose an alteration of the law in this particular.