§ MR. PIERPOINT (Warrington)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to the facts that at the Pendoryn Petty Sessions, on 26th July, one of the two Magistrates present (Mr. D. E. Williams) refused to sign a transfer of the licence of the "Brecon Arms Inn" from William Thomas to Gwenllian Jenkins, there being nothing whatever against the latter, and that Mr. D. E. Williams declined to state any reason for his refusal; whether he is aware that Mr. D. E. Williams states publicly that during his Magisterial career he has never signed a licence; and whether, in such refusal, the Magistrate is acting according to law?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. ASQUITH, Fife, E.)My attention has been called to this case. The Magistrate is within his right in not assigning a cause. In fact, it is not usual to do so, except in certain cases where the law makes it compulsory. This was a case of a transfer, not of a new licence. I am not aware whether the Magistrate has stated publicly he has never signed a new licence; he informs me that he has signed hundreds of "renewals," "transfers," and "indorsements," but has never signed a new licence. He appears to have acted according to law.