§ THE EARL OF WEMYSSsaid, he had a petition to present—it was one of considerable importance and of fair size—in favour of the Licensing Bill which he had the honour to introduce in their Lordships' House. It was not so large a petition as the one presented by the temperance ladies who went round the world for their signatures, and who prided themselves upon their petition being a mile long, but upon it there were 242 signatures, not of individuals, but bodies—brewers' associations, wine and spirit merchants' associations—and the signatures came from all parts of the United Kindom, and embraced every body of importance interested in licensing and the sale of liquor. He had another petition to the same effect, which differed very slightly in the wording, and it was signed by 31 bodies of a similar character. The object of the petitions was simply to support the Bill he had the honour to bring in—a Bill which was drawn up by Lord Bramwell, and the Second Reading of which he proposed should be taken after Whitsuntide. He moved, however, that in the meantime the petitions presented be printed, together with the signatures, which, as he had explained, were not of individuals, but of bodies interested in this, to them, most vital question.
§ Motion agreed to.