§ SIR ROBERT HOBART (Hampshire, New Forest)To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been drawn to the judgment of Mr. Justice Kennedy in the test case of Ashby's Cobham Brewery Company v. The Inland Revenue ("The Crown" public house, Cobham, Kent), in which the amount of compensation under The Licensing Act, 1904, fixed by the Inland Revenue at £455, was altered and fixed at £1,497 10s.; and whether in view of the effect this will have upon licensing authorities in recommending licensed houses for extinction, His Majesty's Government will direct an appeal to be made to a higher court of justice to reverse this judgment.
(Answered by Mr. Asquith.) The Answer to the first part of the Question s in the affirmative. His Majesty's Government do not propose to give directions for an appeal, as they are advised that as the law at present stands under the terms of The Licensing Act, 1904, an appeal could not succeed; but the matter is one which will not be left out of sight in connection with the proposals for legislation in regard to licensing which they have already undertaken to introduce.