HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2977, 30 August 1878, Page 3

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

-THE PBBMISSIVE LIQUOB BILL.

June 26.—The afternoon sitting was occupied by the annual discussion of the Permissive Prohibitory Bill. The second reading having been moved by Sir W. Law son, its r ejection was moved by Mr Wheelhousei who dwelt, as usual, on the injustice to the working classes and the confiscatory character of its provisions. He denied, too; that the, bill would diminish drunkenness, for it would merely transfer the traffic from the hands of a ■trictly supervised class to smugglers and,; surreptitious traders. It was not desired by the people, it was impracticable, and the constant struggles to have it adopted would be prejudicial to all conooncerned. " ' Mr A Gathorne Hardy, who supported the amendment in a maiden speech, objected strongly to coercive legislation of this kind, but admitted the duty of Parliament to regulate the liquor traffic and, to promote temperance in every way. Already by education and by good exampleMnuch had been done in this direction,and he trusted to a gradual improvement in pubjiic opinion and in the habits of the people rather' than to restrictions on public liberty. Sir. Wilfred Lawson justified himself against the taunt of wasting the time of the House in useless reiteration of the ' same arguments by pointing out that it' was the only practical measure before Parliament. He denied that all . the legislation of iecent years had diminished drunkenness or the amount of money spent in drink, and the remedy which he suggested was simply that where the public opinion of a locality was against the . issue of licenses it should be operative. Prohibition based on public opinion, he contended, had always succeeded, and the principle he pointed out had already been sanctioned by those who had voted for the "Irish Sunday Closing Bill on the ground that it was required by the Irish people ; and as to details, he refused to discuss them until he got into committee, though he in-, timated that he would vote fo.r compensation to the licensed victuallers if its necessity and justice, could be shown. He regarded the question as the most important of, the, day, and warned the House that there was an increasing number of electors determined to put it before all party politics. On a division the second reading was negatived by 278 to 84.