§ EARL STANHOPE, in presenting a Bill to consolidate and amend the Law relating to the Supply of Intoxicating Prinks on Credit, said, that the Select Committee of their Lordships' House had neither examined witnesses nor reported on this particular point. It was only the fringe of a great question; and though he did not believe in legislation as a cure for the drunkenness of the country, still it occasionally might remove temptations out of the way of those who frequented public-houses. The provisions of the Act of 24 Geo. II. c. 40, which applied to England and Scotland, were confined to cases in which credit was given for spirits of less value than £1 supplied anywhere, or of loss quantity than a reputed quart delivered at the purchaser's residence. That Act was made more stringent by the 25 & 26 Vict. c. 38, under which publicans taking pledges for drink wore liable to a penalty. Both Acts were, however, silent as to loans, promissory notes, or securities; and also as to wines and all intoxicating drinks other than spirits. On the other hand, the County Courts Act, 1867, did extend to loans and securities; but was equally silent as to loans and pledges, and to wines and other intoxicating drinks. In Scotland the law was the same as in England, except that the County Courts Act, 1867, did not extend to that Kingdom. In Ireland matters of that kind were regulated by 55 Geo. III. c. 19, the enactments of which were confined to spirits of less quantity than two quarts. In that country, as in England and Scotland, publicans were liable to a penalty for taking pledges; but, unlike the law applying to England and Scotland, the Act applying to Ireland provided that unlicensed retailers of intoxicating drink of any value were deprived of right of action for debts incurred for drink, and employers 230 were subject to a penalty for paying workmen in a public-house. The object of the present Bill was to consolidate and make uniform throughout the United Kingdom the enactments which related to the sale of intoxicating drinks on credit. By the 9th and last clause in the Bill, he proposed to introduce a now system into the English law—namely, to make a penalty on paying wages to workmen in a public-house where intoxicating drinks were sold by retail. The practice of paying wages at a public-house was radically wrong, as it placed a premium on workmen immediately spending their money in drink either "for the good of the house," or in treating friends. It might be said that there would be difficulties in carrying out this provision; but in Ireland it was already the law, and surely in England it would be far easier than in Ireland to find other places than public-houses to pay wages in.
§ Bill to consolidate and amend the enactments which relate to the Supply of Intoxicating Drinks on Credit—Presented (The Earl STANHOPE); read 1a; and to be printed. (No. 84.)
§ House adjourned at a half past Five o'clock, to Thursday next, half past Ten o'clock.