§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading, read.
§ THE DUKE OF RICHMOND, in moving that the Bill be now read the second time, said, that its object was to amend 383 the Act of 1872, relating to the sale and consumption of intoxicating liquors in Ireland, and to assimilate it to the Act recently passed in reference to England on the same subject. The provisions were strictly analogous to those of the English Act. They dealt with early-closing licences, and occasional licences—the remission of duty in the case of six-day and early-closing licences, with the case of bonâ fide travellers, with extension of the time for closing, with offences on premises having occasional licences, with the record of convictions on the licence, and with the record of convictions for adulteration; and with the power of the police to enter premises for the enforcement of the Act. There were also clauses giving the Lord Lieutenant and the Privy Council power to constitute one of the Quarter Sessions a Brewster Session, for the granting of licences annually, and to take away from Petty and Quarter Sessions for the future the power of granting licences for the sale of intoxicating liquors; and also for the purpose of preventing wholesale licences from being used for retail trade. There was also a clause which authorized a person licensed for the sale of intoxicating liquors to entertain bonâ fide friends after the usual hour of closing, at his own expense. These were generally the main features of the Bill, and he trusted their Lordships would read it a second time.
§ Moved, "That the Bill be now read 2a"—(The Duke of Richmond.)
§ Motion agreed to; Bill read 2a accordingly and committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Thursday next.