§ Sir W. RUTHERFORDasked the President of the Board of Trade whether licences for the supply of petrol granted to the tenant occupiers of hotels in the country entirely dependent on motor traction are personal licences or are intended for the benefit of the premises and of the public using the same; whether the tenant of such an hotel ought to be obliged to give up or transfer to his successor such licence on ceasing to be the tenant; whether his attention has been called to the case of the "Anglers' Hotel" at Ennerdale Lake, in West Cumberland, whose customers are obliged to use railway facilities at Whitehaven and Cocker-mouth, and to the fact that the late tenant, William Mulley, had a licence for 30 gallons a month, but, having ceased to be the tenant, declines to transfer such licence to the present tenant, Mrs. Reid; and will he say on what ground the Petrol Committee declines to allow Mrs. Reid a supply of petrol or enable her to obtain the licence from William Mulley?
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§ Mr. WARDLEThe motor spirit licence granted to occupiers of hotels are personal licences granted to them as hackney carriage proprietors. If an outgoing tenant continues to be a hackney carriage proprietor, and thus requires to retain his licence, he is not obliged to surrender it. If he surrenders it, a corresponding licence may be issued to his successor. If, however, he retains it, I regret that the necessity for preventing any increase in the number of motor vehicles used as hackney carriages renders it impossible to issue a licence to his successor. With regard to the particular case mentioned by the hon. Member, I find that William Mulley is now the tenant of another hotel, and continues to use his motor-car as a hackney vehicle.