THE LICENSING QUESTION IN SYDENHAM.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1639, 22 May 1879, Page 3

THE LICENSING QUESTION IN SYDENHAM.

PUBLIC MEETING-. In accordance with announcement that a public meting of all bona fide ratepayers of Sydenham would be held at the Colombo road school at seven o'clock last evening, there was at that hour a very large crowd of persons present, and the room was in a very few minutes packed to the doors, among those present being a number of women. The advertised object of the meeting was "to consider a protest against the granting of any new licenses in the borough of Sydenham.'' During yesterday placards were posted about various parts of the city and of the southern borough calling a meeting in the same room for half-past seven, and this placard, it was understood, was got out by those opposed to the granting of additional licenses. But this party had very little chance of gaining admission to the school, for at the time mentioned it was densely packed, and there were hundreds of people on the outside unable to gain admission. His Worship the Mayor (Mr Geo. Booth) was asked to take the chair, and accordingly did so, and bespoke for every speaker a fair and impartial hearing. Mr John Smith moved the first resolution as follows —" That it is the opinion of this meeting that the protest and decision of the late meeting regarding new licenses in Sydenham was totally uncalled for, and calculated to injure the best interests of the burgesses of Sydenham." In speaking to this resolution ! Mr Smith met with much opposition, the room at times being filled with a babel of voices and a confusion that rendered it impossible to hear what the speaker was saying, the word " Outside, outside " being the predominant cry of the audience. He said he had come there that evening with the intention of speaking in a strictly impartial manner. He was not in favor of drinking ■hops, but he believed there was room for more hotel accommodation in Sydenham than they had at the present time. [Uproar.] The borough contained between 7500 and 8000 people, and it was idle to suppose that the three hotels which they possessed were sufficient. [Confusion and cries of "No monopoly.] There was no doubt about it that to confine them to three hotels was to establish such a thing. He quite agreed with a remark made at the meeting last week with regard to places where hot coffee could be obtained, but at the same time there could be no doubt that extra hotel accommodation was wanted. Mr Ingram seconded the motion. There were here loud cries of "outside, outside," and very great confusion ensued. The Chairman said if it was the wish of the meeting they would adjourn outside. [Cries of " outside" and " order."] Mr Lawrence asked to be allowed to say a few words. The late meeting was totally uncalled for. He would like to read them a letter which had appeared in last week's Press. Mr Lawrence then commenced to read the letter in question which was received with many interruptions and great confusion.

The Chah'man interrupting the speaker, said he had been requested by one of the members of the school committee to adjourn the meoting to the outside for fear the overcrowded state of the building might do it some injury. Ho would request them to leave by the doors as quietly as possible. A general stampede was then made. Several of the persons round the table, bore it and the candles to the door, while the three reporters took possession of their chairs, and carried, or rather forced them through the crush, not without considerable anathematising

, from the bystanders, who seemed to feel the;r j poinds keenly. It was then found that the table could not be gotoutat this particular door land must be tak<m round to ore at the back, and the crowd, candles, reporters an t chairs, struggled round to this part of the building in inextricable confusion. At last the table ar- ! rived, the candles were set upon it, the reI porters seated, and something like order prevailed for a minute or two. A cry was given ! that the publicans should bear Mr Lawrence on their shoulders, in order that he might be soen and heard, but that gentleman contented himself with standing on the table, and so finished the reading of the letter he had begun in the schoolroom amid such confusion. The Chairman asked tho meeting if it waß their wish to hear any more speakers. [" Yes, plenty of them."] It was impossible to take an expression of opinion in the open air. Was it their wish to decide that night [Cries of " Adjourn," and " Decide to night."] How could it be decided in the open air, ana that evening ? They ought to consider the par ies who had spoken at the last meeting, and give them an opportunity of replying to the statements that had been made. If they were to decide the question now, one party must go to the left, and the other to the right. [" How can it be done; all are not ratepayers."] Those in favor of the licenses being granted ought to got up and address the meeting. All were at liberty to speak on whichever side they liked; Mr Hughes ascended the table amid cries of " Are you a ratepayer ?" The Chairman said a non-ratepayer was perfectly entitled to speak. Mr Hughes said it seemed to him that the meeting was a packed one. [Cries of " Oh !"] Some of those present reminded him of Esau who sold his birthright for a mess of pottage. [Confusion, amid which Mr Hughes left the table.] Mr John Webber was the next to ascend, amid groans, hisses, and general uproar. He said that was the sort of meeting to forward [Confusion,] God help poor Sydenham. [Laughter and groans, amid which Mr Webber returned to terra firma. ] Mr Lawrence thought a show of hands should be taken.

A Voice—Adjourn the meeting to the Oddfellows' Hall, Lichfield street. They will be bound to keep order there. Another Voice —It is the larrikins who are making thß row, and not the ratepayers. The Chairman said unless some one came forward and spoke he should adjourn the meeting. Mr Lawrence—Put the motion. Mr Saddler—l beg to move that this meeting adjourn. Seconded by Mr Burnett. The motion was then put. The ayes and noes were apparently about equal, though the latter were more vehement.

The Chairman then declared the meeting closed, and besought those present to go away in an orderly manner, and not to do any damage to the school buildings. He believed that if they discussed the whole question in a room sufficiently large they would be able to satisfactorily decide the question. The people —of whom there must have been fully a thousand present—then dispersed.